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REPOKTS AND DOCUMENTS 



PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION 



IN 



THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND. 



E. R. POTTER, 

LATE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 



WITH THE SCHOOL LAWS, FORMS FOR DOING BUSINESS UNDER 
THEM, AND REMARKS AND ADVICE RELATING TO THEM. 



PROVIDENCE: 

KNOWLES, ANTHONY & CO. PRINTERS. 

18 5 5. 



Pi 



CONTENTS. 



ACTS RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 

Remarks on the duties of Officers under them. 

Towns 27 — Treasurer 27 — School Committees 26 — Principles on which 
districts should be laid off 28 — School Houses 30— Suggestions as to' 
examining teachers 31 — Suggestions as to visiting schools 3G — Selection 
jotbooks 39 — Specimens of School Regulations 40, 91 — Dividing money / 
(^40;7^Graded Schools 42, 49 — Power and duties of trustees 43 — Dis- 
tricts 45 — Quorum 47 — Use of school house for other purposes 48 
[See Decision in Report January 18.53] — Clerk 49 — Suggestions to 
Teachers 50 — mode of calculating average attendance 51 — Bible in 
Schools 52 — Power of the teacher to punish and its extent 53 — Provis- 
ions of the statute for punishing distui'bance of schools 55 — Appeals 56 
School Libraries 56 

Forms for transaction op business. 
See the full index at the end. 

REPORT TO THi: LEGISLATURE JANUARY, A. D. 1850. 
With statistical tables. 

REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE JANUARY A. D. 1851. 
With statistical tables. 

REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE JANUARY A. D. 1852. 

Con^en^s.— General remarks 141 — Female teachers 142 — Deaf, Dumb &c; 
143 — Blind 145 — Idiots 146 — Revision of law 147 — Means of improv- 
ing the schools 148 — Duty of a teacher 149 — Studies and object of edu- 
cation 154 — Normal school 157 — Grades of teachers 160 — Lyceums 160 
Union districts and plans 161 — School attendance 163 — Children iu 
factories 165 — Moral education and its relation to crime 167 — Statistis- 
tical tables 182 

Appendix No. 1. — Normal department in Brown University 185 

Appendix No. 2. — Letter from Rev. E. M. Stone on Evening Schools 
192 — Extracts from Report of Prof. Hart and Address of Judge Kelly 
on same subject 194 

Appendix No. 3. — Ignorance and vice in cities and towns 202 



iv € O N T K N T S i 

Appendix No. 4. — School and other llbrai-ies in Rhode Island 212 

Appendix No. 5. — Outline of the system of education in Rhode Island. .215 

REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE JANUARY A. D. 1853. 
Contents. — Deaf and Dumb 2 — Blind, Idiots, &c. 3 — Educational Maga- 
zine 4 — Private Normal School of Messrs. Greene & Colburn 5 — Teach- 
ers meetings and improvement of qualifications of teachers 6 — Colleges 
and their proper place in an educational system 14,3 7,48 — Objec- 
tions to education considered 17 — Fundamental principles of an 
educational system in a republican government, how far the State 
should interfere, danger of centralization 21, 72^Prayer and religious -j 
exercises in schools 28 — Statistical tablesT-rrv / ' 3S7 

Appendix No. 1. — Relation of Colleges to Schools — Extracts from re- 
port of Prof Andrews of Marietta 37 — Prof. Taylor Lewis on the 
same 48 

Appendix No. 2. — Decisions on the school laws — use of school houses 
for other purposes 54 — Making fires in schools 56 

Appendix No. 3. — Religious education in schools — extracts from various 
writers and speakers on this subject 59 

REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE JANUARY A. D. 1854. 

Content.'^. — Deaf and Dumb, Blind, &c. 5 — Mormal school 7 — Legislation 
and litigation 8 — Uniformity of Books 9 — Sectarianism in School books 
11 — Schools in country districts 11 — Truancy 14 — The State and edu- 
cation. 1 6, G 7 

Appendix No. 1. — Statistical Tables 19 

Appendix No. 2. — Public Schools and religious Education. Extracts 
from Address of Thomas H. Burrows. Dr. Chalmers. Church's Let- 
ter to Cobden. Wm. C. Taylor L L. D. Robert Vaughan, D. D.— 
Prof. Nicoll, of Glasgow. Willm on the Education of the People. Dr. 
Hook, Vicar of Leeds. Siljistrom on Education in the United States. 
Westminster review. Massachusetts Common School Journal. Dr. 
Channing. Dr. Bushnell. Westminster Review. New Englander. Dr. 
Van Rensselear, Secretary of Presbyterian Board of Education 22 

Appendix No. 3. — The State and Education. Extent to which the State 
should support Public Schools and compel attendance on them. Ex- 
tracts from Robert Vaughn, D. D. Baines. H. Spencer. E. R. Pot- 
ter's Historical Address. Rowland G. Hazard's Addresses. Guizot. . 67 

Appendix No. 4. — Objections to Education answered. Extracts from 
Potter & Emerson, School and School Master ; and from Prof NicoU's 
Preface to Willm 78 

Appendix No. 5. — Imjwrtance of Female Education. Views of Dymond 
and George Combe 85 

Appendix No. 6. — Physical Education and Insanity 88 , 

Appendix No. 7. — Reform School 97 

Appendix No. 8. — School and other Libraries in the State 101 



C () N T E X T S . V 

Appendix No. 9. — Law of domieil or residence in relaiion to voting ... .104 
Appendix No. 10. — Importance of directing attention to the artri of de- 
sign as a means of improving public taste, fnrnishing employment, and 
increasing National wealth. Extracts from Prof Mapes, Thomas A. 

Tefft, &c 107 

Appendix No. 11. — Catalogne of Books tor selection for school, village 

and family libraries 113 

REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE JANUARY A. D. 1854. 

Expenditures for Normal School 6 

Board of Education 7, .51 

Division of the new Appropriation of $15.000 S 

The Bible and Prayer in Public Schools 9, 52, lOD 

APPENDIX. 

No. 1 — Statistical Tables 3;j 

No. 2— Acts &c. relating to Schools, &c. passed since June 1851.. .:Mj 
No. 3 — Documents relating to the establishment of Normal 
School. Commmissioners letter to the Governor. Act establishing 
School. Address of E. R. Potter at opening of School. Circulars. Copy 

of lease of Normal School rooms 4 2 

No. 4 — Bill to establish a Board of Education 7, 51 

No. 5 — Religious Instruction in Public Schools 52 

Extracts from various writers showing how the difiiculties growiii"- out of 
this question are obviated in other countries. Prussia and German v 52 
Saxony 63 — Wirtemburg G5 — Austria G5 — Switzerland G7 — France 70 
Extract from NicoU 71 — Victor Hugo's Speech 73 — Belghnu 75 — Ho!'- 
land 76 — Scotland 78, 95 — Ireland 82 — Oppression in Ireland 91 — 
England 93 — Canada, from Dr. Ryerson's Report 95 — Massachusetts 107. 
Opinions of writers upon the subject of the Bible and Re- 
ligion in School;-; 109 

Prefatory Remarks by the Commissioner 109 — Statement of the question, 
(Harpers') 110 — Extracts from Dr. Cheever on the Bible in School 114 
Address of Thomas S. Grinike 123 — Rosseauon the Bible 145 — Extract 
from Savage's Speech in N. Y. Legislature 14G — President JMCafTi'cy's 
Lecture 147 — Rev. 11. Humphrey's Lecture 150 — Extract from E. R. 
Potter's Report for 1852 on importance of moi-al education and its in 
fiuence in preventing crime 151 — Address of Thomas H. Burrowes 164 
Report of Dr. Vnn ilensellaer of the Presbyterian Board of Education 
1G6 — E. Schneider's Essay 170 — Speech of Rev. Di-. Bond (MethodistJ 
171- Westminster Review 172- Address of II. Ketchum (Presbyterian) 
173— Richard Gardner (English; 17,']— John Mills 1 74— Walter Fer- 
gerson 175 — Rev. W. McKerrow 176 — Rev. S. Davidson 176 — Rev. F. 
Tucker 177 — Rev. Edward Higglnson 178 — Mrs. Porter 178 — Dr. 
Bushnell, of Hai'tford on the modifications demanded by Catholics 179 



I C ON TENTS . 

Extracts from New Englander (Congregational Quarterly Review) 184 
Dr.Chanuing 196 — Dr. Siljestrom, a Swedish traveller 196 — Dr.Chalmers 
(Scotch Presbyterian) 197— Letter from 11. CobdenM, P. to Pv. Church 
198_-Wr. C. Taylor 199— Dr. Robert Vaughan 199— J. P. NicoU's pref- 
ace to Wihn's treatise 199 — Wilm on the education of the people (French 
treatise) 203 — Opinion of Rev. Dr. Hook, Vicar of Leeds 204 — West- 
minster Review 205 — Twelfth Report of Horace Mann, of Massachusetts 
205 — Decision on the use of school houses for other purposes than schools 
233 — Decision of Gen. John A. Dix, Supt. of New York Schools, on 
same subject 235 — Extracts from Milton's "Areopagitica ; a Speech for 
the libertj' of unlicensed printing" 236 — Extract from IMilton on eccle- 
siastical power in civil causes 246. 



ERRATA. 

As the following errors affect the sense or accuracy of statements, it is rer 
quested that they may be corrected with a pen. 

In report for 1852, page 21G, line 11, for '■'■There is a Board of Education" 
read '■^There is no Board of Education." y 

In report January 1853, page 14, line od from bottom, for of read and ; 
page 18, line 17 for professions rend possessors ; page 19 for Sir Mondi read 
Sismondi ; page 21, line 7th from bottom, for these read the ; page 55, line 24 
read to hold religious meetings. 

In report January 1854, in table No. 1, page 19, the footings of the columns 
should be — Total resources 125.004.70; Expense for instruction 115.081.00; 
Expense for school houses 21.901.62; Voted this year 24.021.32. Against 
town of Richmond the amount expended for instruction should be 821.18; 
against town of Warwick the amount expended for instruction should be 
2.994.08 In table No. 2, page 20, footing of column of Total scholars should 
be 25.905.00. In table No. 3, l^age 21, footing of column of whole No. of 
scholars should be 25.905.00. Page 35, line 2d, for Western read Westmini- 
ster ; line 10th from bottom, for wAe^/^er and Whether. Page G 8 in line 2d 
of extract from H. Spencer for the read other. Page 77 line 4th fi-om bottom 
for due read the. 



0ct)ooi Cams of Hljobt- IsUiib, 



ACTS 



RELATING TO THE 



PUBLIC SCHOOLS 



EHODE ISLAND, 



WITH REMARKS AND FORMS. 



PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 



CONSOLIDATED AND REVISED, JUNE, 1851. 




providence: 

SAYLES& MILLER, PRINTERS, 
18 5 1. 



NOTE. 

Tlie first edition of the remarks and forms was prepared by the 
subscriber, with the aid of his predecessor, in October, 1846. They 
were intended to facilitate the transaction of business by districts 
and school officers, and it is believed that they have answered the 
purpose intended, and been the means of preventing much litiga- 
tion. They are now republished with the alterations necessary to 
conform them to the new act. 

The new act was passed Thursday, June 19, 1851. It takes 
effect on " the tenth day next after the rising of the General Assem- 
bly." The General Assembly rose on Saturday, June 21, 1851. 

E. R. POTTER, 
Commissioner of Public Schools. 

Providence, June 23, 1851. 



EXTRACTS FROM THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE, 



ARTICLE FIRST. 

DECLARATION OF CERTAIN CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND PRINCIPLES. 

In order effectually to secure the religious and political freedom 
established by our venerated ancestors, and to preserve the same for 
our posterity, we do declare that the essential and unquestionable 
rights and principles hereinafter mentioned, shall be established, 
maintained, and preserved, and shall be of paramount obligation in 
all legislative, judicial and executive proceedings. 

^ ^ At- :^ ^ ^ 

^ ^ W "TS- "Jv- T^ 

Sec. 3. Whereas, Almighty God hath created the mind free ; and 
all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burthens, or 
by civil incapacitations, tend to beget habits of hypocrisy and mean- 
ness ; and whereas a principal object of our venerable ancestors, in 
their migration to this country and their settlement of this State, 
was, as they expressed it, to hold forth a lively experiment that a 
flourishing civil State may stand and be best maintained with full 
liberty in religious concernments : we, therefore, declare, that no man 
shall be compelled to frequent or to support any religious worship, 
place or ministry, whatever, except in fulfilment of his own volun- 
tary contract; nor enforced, restrained, molested or burthened in his 
body or goods ; nor disqualified from holding any office ; nor other- 
wise suffer on account of his religious belief; and that every man 
shall be free to worship God according to the dictates of his own con- 
science, and to profess and by argument to maintain his opinion in 
matters of religion ; and that the same shall in no wise diminish, 
enlarge or afllect his civil capacity. 

ARTICLE TWELFTH. 

OF EDUCATION. 

Section 1. The diffusion of knowledge, as well as of virtue, among 
the people, being essential to the preservation of their rights and 
liberties, it shall be the duty of the General Assembly to promote 



4 EXTRACTS FROM THE CONSTITUTION. 

Public Schools, and to adopt all means which they may deem nec- 
essary and proper to secure to the people the advantages and op- 
portunities of education. 

Sec. 2. The money which now is, or which may hereafter he ap- 
propriated by law for the establishment of a permanent fund for the 
support of Public Schools, shall be securely invested and remain a 
perpetual fund for that purpose. 

Sec 3. All donations for the support of Public Schools or for 
other purposes of education, which may be received by the Gen- 
eral Assembly, shall be applied according to the terms prescribed by 
the donors. 

Sec 4. The General Assembly shall make all necessary pro- 
visions by law for carrying this article into effect. They shall not 
divert said money or fund from the aforesaid uses, nor borrow, ap- 
propriate, or use the same, or any part thereof, for any other pur- 
pose, under any pretence whatsoever. 



state of 3Ki)otre Kslantr antr J^rotjitrence Jllantatfons. 



AN ACT 

TO REVISE AND AIMEND THE LAWS REGULATING PUBLIC 
SCHOOLS. 
Passed June Session, A. D. 185L 
It is enacted by the General AssemUy as follows : 

Section 1. For the uniform and efficient administration of this 
act and the supervision and improvement of such schools as may be 
supported in any manner out of the General Treasury, the Gover- 
nor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall annu- 
ally at the annual general election, appoint an officer to be called 
the Commissioner of Public Schools. In case of sickness, tempo- 
rary absence or other disability, the Governor may appoint a person 
to act as Commissioner during such absence, sickness or disability. 

Sec. 2. The sum of thirty-five thousand dollars shall annually 
be paid out of the income of the school fund, deposit of surplus rev- 
enue, and other money in the General Treasury for the support of 
public schools in the several towns, upon the order of the Commis- 
sioner. He shall annually in May, apportion said sum among the 
several towns, in proportion to the number of children under the 
age of fifteen years, according to the then lastU. States census, and 
shall draw orders on the General Treasurer for their proportion in 
favor of all such towns as shall comply with the terms of this act 
on or before the first day of July annually. 

Sec. 3. The Commissioner shall visit as often and as far as prac- 
ticable, every school district in the State, for the purpose of in- 
specting the schools, and diffusing as widely as possible, by public 
addresses and personal communications with school officers, teach- 
ers and parents, a knowledge of the defects and desirable improve- 
ments in the administration of the system and the government and 
instruction of the schools : and shall recommend the best texj 
books and secure as far as practicable, a uniformity in the schools 



b AN ACT RELATING 

"of every toAvn at least ; and shall assist in the establishment of and 
selection of books for school libraries. 

Sec. 4. He shall prescribe from time to time suitable forms and 
regulations for carrying this act into effect, and for making all re- 
ports. He shall hear and decide all appeals and may remit all fines, 
penalties and forfeitures incurred by any town, district or person, 
under this act. He may appoint County Inspectors, to examine 
teachers and visit and report the state of the schools, whose office 
shall expire on the first Tuesday in May, annually, unless sooner 
removed, and who shall not be entitled to any compensation from 
the State Treasury : — and he shall annually at tBe January term of 
the October session, make a report to the General Assembly upon 
the state and condition of the schools and of education, Avith plans 
and suggestions lor their improvement. 

TOWNS. 

Sec. 5. Towns may establish and maintain, (Avithout forming 
districts,) a sufficient number of public schools, of different grades, 
at convenient locations, under the entire management of the School 
Committee, or they may vote at a meeting notified for that pur- 
pose, to provide school houses Avith the necessary fixtures and ap- 
pendages, in all the districts, (if there be districts,) at the conxmon 
expense of the toAvn : Provided, that in the latter case, if any district 
shall provide at their OAvn expense, a school house approved by the 
School Committee, such district shall not be liable to be taxed by 
the town to furnish or repair school houses for the other districts. 
They may raise by tax all sums of money they may deem necessary 
for the support of public schools, or for establishing and maintain- 
ng a public school library ; said library, AA^hen established, to be 
controlled and regulated from time to time by the School Commit- 
tee of the toAvn. 

Sec. 6. No toAvn shall receive any part of the State appropria- 
tion, unless they shall raise by tax for the supj)ort of public schools, 
a sum equal to one third of their proportion of the sum of twenty- 
five thousand dollars apportioned to them from the State Treasury, 
Avhich sum so raised shall be appropriated and paid by the ToAvn 
Treasur rer, asequired by this act. And if any toAvn shall refuse 
to raise or appropriate ihe sum hereby required, on or before the 



TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 7 

first of July in any year, their proportion of the public money shall 
be forfeited, and the General Treasurer on being officially informed 
thereof by the Commissioner of Public Schools, shall invest the 
amount in stocks, to be added to the Permanent School Fund. 

Sec. 7. Any town may appoint or may authorize its School Com- 
mittee to appoint a Superintendent of the schools of the town, to 
perform under the advice and direction of the Committee, such du- 
ties and exercise such powers, as the Committee may assign to him, 
and to receive such compensation out of the Treasury as the town 
may vote. 

Sec. 8. Each town shall, at its annual town meeting for choice 
of town officers, choose a School Committee, to consist of not less 
than three residents of said town, to serve without compensation, 
unless voted by the town out of the Town Treasury. 

SCHOOL COMMITTEE. 

Sec. 9. The School Committee of each town shall have power, 
and it shall be their duty 

Sec. 10. To choose a Chairman and Clerk, either of whom may 
sign any orders or official papers. 

Sec. 11. To hold at least four stated meetings, viz. on the second 
Mondays of January, April, July and October, in every year, and as 
much oftener as the state of the schools requires. A majority of 
the number elected shall constitute a quorum, unless the committee 
consist of more than six, when four shall be a quorum, but any 
less number may adjourn. 

Sec. 12. To form, alter and discontinue school districts, and to 
settle their boundaries when undefined or disputed ; Provided, 
that no new district shall be formed with less than forty children 
between the ages of four and sixteen, unless with the approbation 
of the Commissioner of Public Schools, and further, that where a 
town is not now divided into districts, it shall not be done without 
the direction of the town. All existing districts shall continue un- 
til legally altered. 

Sec. 13. To locate all school houses, and not to abandon or 
change the site of any without good cause ; and in case the School 
Committee shall fix upon a location for a school house in any dis- 
trict, and the district shall have passed a vote to erect a school 



8 AN ACT KELAT1.NG 

house, or where there is no district organization and the Committee 
shall fix upon a location for a school house, and the proprietor of 
the land shall refuse to convey the same, or cannot agree with the 
district for the price thereof, the School Committee of their own 
motion, or upon application of the district, shall be authorized to 
appoint three disinterested persons, who shall notify the parties 
and decide upon the valuation of the land ; and upon the tender or 
payment of the sum so fixed upon to the proprietor, the title to the 
land so fixed upon by the School Committee, (not exceeding one 
quarter of an acre,) shall vest in the district, for the purpose of 
maintaining a school house and the necessary appendages thereon : 
Provided, however, that an appeal shall be allowed to the Court of 
Common Pleas in such cases, in the same manner and with the 
same effect as is provided by law in case of laying out of high- 
ways. 

Sec. 14. To examine by themselves or by some one or more 
persons, by them appointed, all applicants for the situation of teach- 
ers in the Public Schools of the town, and to annul the certificates 
of such as prove unqualified or will not conform to the regulations 
of the Committee. 

Sec. 15. To visit by one or more of their number every Public 
School in town, at least twice during each term, once within two 
weeks of its opening, and once within two weeks of its close, at 
which visits they shall examine the register and other matters touch- 
ing the school house, library, studies, books, discipline, modes of 
teaching and improvement of the schools. Or the Committee may 
employ some person of or not of their number to perform this duty 
and to receive such compensation as they may allow, out of the 
money raised by the town, or as the town may allow out of the 
Town Treasury. 

Sec. 16. To make and cause to be put up in each school house, 
or furnished to each teacher, a general system of rules and regula- 
tions for the admission and attendance of pupils, the classification, 
studies, books, discipline and methods of instruction in the Public 
Schools. 

Sec. 17. To suspend during pleasure or expel during the school 
term all pupils found guilty of incorrigibly bad conduct, or violation 



TO PUBUC SCHOOLS. 9 

of the school regulations, and re-admit them, on satisfactory evidence 
of amendment. 

Sec. 18. To fill any vacancy in the Committee occasioned by 
death, declining or refusing to serve, resignation, removal from 
office or from the town, or otherwise. 

Sec. 19. Where a town is not divided into districts, or shall 
vote in a meeting duly notified for that purpose to provide schools 
without reference to such division, the Committee shall manage and 
regulate said schools, and draw all orders for the payment of their 
expenses. 

Sec. 20. When the Public Schools are maintained by district 
organization, they shall apportion as early as practicable in each 
year, among the districts, the money received from the State, one 
half equally, and the other half according to the average daily at- 
tendance of the schools of the preceding year. Said money receiv- 
ed from the State shall be denominated " Teachers' money," and 
shall be applied to the wages of teachers and to no other purpose 
whatever. They shall appoition the money received from the town, 
from the registry tax, from funds or other grants, either equally or 
in such proportion as the town may direct, and for want of such 
direction, then in such manner as they may deem best. 

Sec. 21. They shall draw an order on the Town Treasurer in fa- 
vor of such districts only, as shall have made a return to them in 
manner and form prescribed by t'lem or by the Commissioners of 
Pub.ic Schools, or as may be required by law, from which it shall 
appear that for the year ending on the first of May previous, one or 
more Public School? have been kept for at least four months by a 
qualified teacher in a school house approved by the Committee or 
Comn.issioner, and that the money designated " Teacher's money," 
received the year previous, has been applied to the wages of teach- 
ers and f'^r no other purpose. Such orders may be made payable to 
the Trustees or their order, or to the district Treasurer, or teacher, 
and if the Treasurer receives the money, he shall pay it out to the 
order of the Trustees. Provided, however, that the Committee shall 
not be obliged to give any order until they are satisfied that the 
services have actually been performed for which the money is to be 
paid ; and provided further, that at the end of the school year any 



10 AN ACT RELATI^•G 

money appropriated to any district which shall be forfeited (and the 
forfeiture not remitted,) or which shall remain unexpended, may be 
divided by the committee among the districts the following year. 

Sec. 22. They shall prepare and submit annually — first, a report 
to the Commissioner of Public Schools on or before the first day of 
July in manner and form by him prescribed — se.'ondly, a written or 
printed report to the town at the annual town meeting when the 
School Committee is chosen, setting forth their doings, the state and 
condition of the Schools, and plans for their improvement, which re- 
port (unless printed) shall be read in open town meeting. And the 
Committee may reserve annually out of the public appropriation a 
sum not exceeding twenty dollars to defray the expense of printing 
their report, 

TOWN TREASURER. 

Sec. 23. The Town Treasurer shall receive the money due from 
the State Treasury, and shall keep a separate account of all money 
appropriated by the State or town or otherwise for Public Schools, 
and shall pay the same to the order of the School Committee. He 
shall within one week after the town meeting at which the Com- 
mittee are elected, submit to them a statement of all monies in his 
hands belonging to Schools, specifying the sources whence derived, 
and to what districts, if any, belonging. 

TOAVN CLERK. 

Sec 24. The Town Clerk shall record the boundaries of school 
districts and all alterations thereof, in a book to be kept for that 
purpose, and shall distribute such school documents and blanks as 
may be sent to him to the persons for whom they are intended. 

DISTRICT MEETINGS. 

Sec 25. Notice of the time, place and object of holding the first 
meeting of a district for organization, or for a meeting to choose offi- 
cers or transact other business, in case there be no Trustees author- 
ized to call a meeting, shall be given by the School Committee of the 
town, at any time they may deem proper. 

Sec. 26. Every school district when organized shall hold an an- 
nual meeting in the month of April or May of each year, for choice 
of officers and transaction of any other business relating to schools. 

Sec 27. The Trustees may call a special meeting for election 



TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS li 

or other business at any time, and shall call one to be held within 
seven days on the written request of any five qualified voters, stating 
the object for which they wish it called ; and if the Trustees neg. 
lect or refuse to call a special meeting when requested, the Schoo' 
Committee may call it and fix the time therefor. 

Sec 28. District meetings shall be held at the school house unless 
otherwise ordered by the district. If there be no school house or 
place appointed by the district, the Trustees, or if there be no Trus- 
tees, the School Committee, shall determine the place, which shall 
always be within the district. 

Sec, 29. Notice of the time and place of every annual meeting, 
and of the time, place and object of every special meeting, shall be 
given for five days inclusive before holding the same. 

Sec 30. The Trustees shall give notice of a district meeting, 
either by publishing the same in a newspaper published in the dis 
trict, or by putting the notice on the district school house or on a sign 
post within the district, or if there be no newspaper, school house or 
sign post, then in such manner as the School Committee may direct: 
provided however that the district may from time to time prescribe 
the mode of notifying meetings, and the Trustees shall conform there- 
to. When the meeting is called by the School Committee, they shall 
direct when and how the notice shall be given. If in any case ap- 
pealed to the Commissioner, he shall be satisfied that full and actual 
notice has been given and that no injustice w^ill be done thereby, he 
may waive the compliance with the strict requirements of this sec- 
tion. 

Sec 31. Every district meeting may appoint a Moderator and ad- 
journ from time to time. 

Sec 32. Every person residing in the district may vote in district 
meetings to the same extent and with the same restrictions as he 
would at the time be qualified to vote in town meeting : provided, 
that no person shall vote upon any question of taxation of property 
or expending money thereby, vinless he shall have paid or be liable 
to pay a portion of the tax. And the clerk shall record the number 
and names of the persons voting and on which side of the question, 
at the request of any qualified voter. 



12 AN ACT RELATING 

POWERS OF DISTRICTS. 

Sec. 33. Every school district shall be a body corporate, and shall 
be known by its number or other suitable or ordinary designation, 
and shall have power 

Sec. 34. To prosecute and defend in all actions, to purchase, re- 
ceive, hold and corvey any real or personal property for school pur- 
poses, and t:) establish and maintain a school library. 

Sec. 35 To build, purchase, hire and repair school houses, and 
supply the same with blackboards, maps, furniture and other neces- 
sary and useful appendages, and t j insure the house and appendages 
against damage by fire : Provided that the erection and repairs of the 
school house be made according to the plans approved by the School 
Committee or Commissioner < f Public Schools. 

Sec. 36. 'I'o raise money by tax on the rateable property of the 
district to support schools and to carry out the powers given them by 
this act ; Provided, that the amount of the tax shall be approved by 
the School Committee of the town. All such taxes shall be collected 
by the district or town collector in the same manner as town taxes 
are collected. 

Sec. 37. To elect a Clerk, either one or three Trustees a? they 
may decide, a Treasurer and Collector, and to fill vacancies in either 
of said offices arising from death, declining or refusing to serve, re- 
signation, removal from office or from the district, or otherwise, and 
if an election of any of said officers be not made at the time pr^crib- 
ed for the annual meeting, it may be done at any legally notified 
meeting afterward. The Clerk, Collector and Treasurer shall have 
the same power and perform the same duties as the Clerk, Collector 
and Treasurer of a town. But the Collector and Treasurer need not 
give bond unless required by the district, and any district may vote 
to place the collection of any district tax or rate bill in the hands of 
the collector of town taxes, who shall thereupon without any new 
bond or engagement be fully authorized to proceed and collect the 
same. 

Sec. 38. If any School district shall neglect to organize, or if or- 
ganized shall for the space of six months neglect to establish a school 
and employ a teacher, the School Committee of the town may them- 



TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 13 

selves or by an agent establish a school in the district school house 
or elsewhere in their discretion, and employ a teacher. And any 
district may, with the consent of the Committee, devolve all the 
powers and duties relating to public schools in the district on the 
Committee. 

TRUSTEES. 

Skc. 39. The Trustees of School districts are authorized, and it 
shall be their duty 

Sec 40. To have the custody of the School house and other dis- 
trict property: to employ one or m^re qualified teachers for every 
fifty scholars in average daily attendance, provide school rooms and 
fuel, to visit the schools twice at least during each term, and notify 
the Committee or Superintendent of the time of opening and closing 
the school. 

Sec 41. To see that the scholars are properly supplied with 
books, and in case they are not, and the parents, guardians or masters 
have been notified thereof by the teacher, to provide the same at the 
expense of the district, and add the same to the next rate bill of such 
person. 

Sec 42. To make out the tax bill and rate bills for tuiti'^n against 
the persons liable to pay the same, and to deliver the same to the 
collector with a warrant by them signed annexed thereto, requiring 
him to collect and pay over the same to the Treasurer of the district. 

Sec 43. To make returns to the School Committee in manner and 
form prescribed by them or by tlie Commissioner of Public Schools, 
or as may be required by law, and perform all other lawful acts re- 
quired of them by the district, or necessary to carry into full effect 
the powers and duties of districts. 

Sec. 44. Trustees shall receive no compensation for services out 
of the money received from either the State-or town appropriations, 
nor in any way unless raised by tax by the district. 

TAXES. 

Sec. 45, District taxes shall be levied on the ratable property of 
the district according to its value in the town assessment then last 
made, unless the district shall direct it to be levied upon the next 
town assessment. And no notice shall be required to be given by the 
Trustees. But whenever any real estate in the district is assessed in 



14 AN ACT RELATING 

the town tax bill with real estate out of the district, so that there is 
no distinct or separate value upon it, or in case of any person remov- 
ing into the district possessing personal property, or in case from 
death or sale of property a division and apportionment be necessary, 
or upon application of the party interested in case of investment of 
personal property in real estate, or in case of property omitted in the 
town valuation, the Trustees, if they cannot agree with the parties in- 
terested, shall call upon one or more of the town assessors not inter- 
ested and not residing in the district, who shall assess the value of 
the estate so situated : and the assessors shall give notice by putting 
up notices for ten days in three most public places in or near the 
district. And after notice is given as aforesaid, no person neglect- 
ing to appear before the assessor oi assessors shall have any remedy 
for being over taxed. 

Sec. 46. If a district tax shall be voted, assessed, approved of, 
and a contract legallj- entered into under it, or such contract be le- 
gally entered into without such vote, assessment or approval, and 
said district shall thereafter neglect or refuse to proceed and col- 
lect a tax, the Commissioner of Public Schools, after notice and hear- 
ing the parties, may appoint assessors to assess a tax, and issue a 
warrant to the collector of the district, or to a collector by him ap- 
pointed, authorizing and requiring him to proceed and collect said 

tax. 

Sec. 47. Errors in assessing a tax may be corrected, or the tax 

re-assessed in such manner as may be directed or approved by the 
Commissioner of Public Schools. 

Sec. 48. When any person having paid a tax for building or re- 
pairing a school house in one district, shall by alteration of boun- 
daries of districts, become liable to pay a tax in any other district, 
such abatement may be made therein, (if such person cannot agree 
with the district) as the School Committee (or in case of a district 
composed from different towns, the School Commissioner) may un- 
der the circumstances deem just and proper. 

APPOKTIONMZNT OF PKOPEKTY, &LC. 

Sec. 49. When any two or more districts shall be consolidated 
into one, the new district shall own all the corporate property of 
the several districts ; and when a district is divided and a portion 



TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 15 

taken from it, the funds and property, or the income and proceeds 
thereof, shall he divided among the several parts in such manner as 
the School Committee of the town or towns to which the district 
belongs may determine : And when a part of one district is added 
to another district, or part of a district owning a school house or 
other property, such part shall pay to the district or part of a dis- 
trict to which it is added, (if demanded) such sum as the School 
Committee may determine. 

JOINT DISTKICTS. 

Sec. 50. Any two or more adjoining primary school districts in 
the same or adjoining towns, may by a concurrent vote, agrea to 
establish a secondary or grammar school, for the older and more 
advanced children of such districts. Such associating districts shall 
constitute a school district for all the purposes of providing a school 
house, fuel, furniture and apparatus, and for the election of a Board 
of Trustees, to consist of one member from each associating dis- 
trict, and for the laying of a tax for school purposes, and fixing 
rates of tuition, with all the rights and privileges of a school district, 
so far as the secondary school is concerned. The time and place 
for the meeting for organization of such secondary district, may be 
fixed by the School Committees, and any one or more of the asso- 
ciating districts may delegate to the trustees of the secondary dis- 
trict the care and management of its primary school. The School 
Committee of the town or towns in which such secondary school 
shall be established, shall draw an order in favor of the trustees of 
said school, to be paid out of the public money appropriated to 
each district interested in said secondary school, in proportion to 
the number of scholars from each. 

Sec. 51. Any two or more adjoining school districts in the same 
town may, by concurrent vote, with the approbation of the School 
Committee, unite together and be consolidated into one district, for 
the purpose of supporting public schools, and such consolidated dis- 
tinct shall have all the powers of a single district, but shall be enti- 
tled to receive the same proportion of public money the districts 
would receive if not united. The mode of organizing such districts 
and calling the first meetings thereof shall be regulated or prescrib- 
ed by the School Committee. 



16 AN ACT RELATING 

Sec. 52. Two or more contiguous districts, or parts of districts 
in adjoining towns, may be formed into a joint school district by 
the School Committee of such towns concurring therein, and all 
joint districts heretofore or hereafter formed may by them be altered 
or discontinvied. The meeting for organization shall be called by 
notice signed by the School Committee of such towns, and set up 
in one or more places in each district, or part of a district. Such 
district shall have all the powers of a single school district, and be 
regulated in the same manner, and shall be subject to the super- 
vision and management of the School Committee of the town in 
Avhich the school is located. A whole district making a portion of 
such joint district shall be entitled to its portion of public money in 
the same manner as if it remained a single district ; and when part 
of a district is taken to form a portion of such joint district, the 
School Committee shall assign to it its reasonable proportion. 
Where a joint district shall vote to build or repair a school house 
by tax, the amount of the tax and the plan and specifications of the 
building and repairs shall be approved by the School Committees 
of the several towns, or by the Commissioner of Public Schools. 
And in case of assessing a tax by a joint or sec mdary district, if the 
town assessments be made upon different principles, or the relative 
value be not the same, the relative value and proportion shall be 
ascertained by one or more persons, to be appointed by the Com- 
missioner of Public Schools, and the assessment shall be made ac- 
cordingly. 

Sec. 53. The School Committee of any town, or trustees of any 
school district, may make arrangements with the School Committee 
of any adjacent town, or trustees of any adjacent district, for the 
attendance of such children as will be better accommodated in the 
public schools of such adjacent town or district, and may pay such 
portion of the expense as may be just and proper. 

TEACHEKS. 

Sec. 54. No person shall be employed in any town to teach as 
principal or assistant in any school supported entirely or in part by 
the public money, unless he has a certificate of qualification, signed 
either by the School Committee of the town, or by some person or 
persons appointed by said committee, which shall be valid within 



TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS 17 

said town for one year, unless annulled, or by an inspector of the 
county, which shall express a higher degree of attainment and be 
ralid within the county for two years, and if countersigned by the 
Commissioner of Public Schools, within the State for three years, 
unless annulled. 

Sec. 55. Neither of the above authorities shall sign any certifi- 
cate of qualification unless the person named in the same shall pro- 
duce evidence of good moral character, and be found on examination 
or by experience, qualified to teach the English language, arithme- 
tic, penmanship, and the rudiments of geography and history, and 
to govern a school. 

Sec 56. The School Committee of any town may dismiss any 
teacher, by whomsoever examined, who shall refuse to conform to 
the regulations by them made, or for other just cause, and in such 
case shall give immediate notice to the Trustees of the district. 

Sec. 57. Every teacher in any public school shall keep a register 
of all the scholars attending said school, their ages, names of pa- 
rents or guardians, the time when each scholar enters and leaves 
the school, the daily attendance, together with the days of the 
month on which the school is visited by any of the authorities nam- 
ed in this act, and shall prepare the district's return to the School 
Committee of the town, if requested to do so by the Trustee. 
teacheks' institutes. 

Sec. 58. There shall annually be paid out of the General Treas- 
ury, to the order of the Commissioner of Public Schools, a sum not 
exceeding three hundred dollars, for defraying the expense of hold- 
ing Teachers' or Normal Institutes, and the Commissioner shall 
file in the General Treasurer's office an account of the disbursement 
of said sum. 

OF EATE-BILLS FOE TUITION, &C. 

Sec. 59. Any school district may fix or authorize its Trustees to 

fix a rate of tuition, to be paid by the persons attending school, or 

by their parents, employers or guardians, towards the expense of 

fuel, books and other expenses (including estimated deficiencies of 

payments) over and above the money received from the town and 

State appropriations ; and where there is no district organization, 

the School Committee may fix the rate ; and the district, trustees 
3 



18 AN ACT RELATING 

or committee, shall exempt therefrom all persons whom they shall 
consider unable to pay the same. Provided, that the trustees may 
prescribe and collect a rate in their discretion, sufficient to keep the 
school for the four months required by law, without any vote of the 
district ; and Provided, also, that the rate of tuition shall not ex- 
ceed one dollar per scholar for any term of eleven weeks, except in 
towns or districts where different grades of schools are established, 
when the rate for the higher grades may be not exceeding two dol- 
lars per scholar for the same time : And Provided further, that 
the amount of the rate be approved by the School Committee of the 
town. All such rate bills may be required to be paid in advance, 
or may be delivered to the town or district collector, and may be by 
them collected in the same manner as town taxes are collected. 

Sec. 60. No person shall be excluded from any public schools in 
the district to which such person belongs, if the town is divided in- 
to districts, or if not so divided, from the nearest public school, on 
account of being over fifteen years of age, nor except by force of 
some general regulation applicable to all persons under the same 
circumstances, and in no case on account of the inability of himself, 
his parents, guardian or employer, to pay any rate bill, tax or assess- 
ment whatever. 

Sec. 61. Any person committed to jail by the town or district 
collector, either for a tax or for a rate bill for tuition or assessments, 
shall be entitled to the benefit of "An Act for the relief of poor 
persons imprisoned for debt," in the same manner as if committed 
for town taxes. And any person assessed in any rate bill as afore- 
said, may, before commitment, apply to any justice of the peace in 
the town, for a citation to the committee, trustee or trustees, to 
appear at a time and place named within said district, and show 
cause Avhy he should not be admitted to take the oath prescribed in 
said act : said citation shall be served by any officer or disinterested 
person three days before the time appointed, upon the chairman of 
clerk of the committee, or trustee, (or upon any one of them, it 
more than one) and the applicant shall be heard before the justice 
signing the citation, and may by him be admitted to take the oath 
aforesaid ; and a certificate thereof, signed by him, shall be a full 
protection to the applicant against any further proceedings for col- 



TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 19 

lecting said rate. And the service of the citation aforesaid shall 
suspend such proceedings for at least ten days, unless the case be 
sooner heard and disposed of. 

ENGAGEMENTS. 

Sec. 62. All school officers appointed under this act, (except the 
moderator of a district meeting) shall take an engagement to sup- 
port the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution and 
laws of this State, and faithfully to discharge the duties of their 
several offices, so long as thej^ continue therein, before some judge, 
senator, justice or warden, notary, town clerk, member of the town 
council, or chairman or clerk of the School Committee. The clerk 
of the district may take the engagement in open district meeting, 
before the moderator, or any magistrate present, and the clerk's 
record that any district officer has been duly engaged, shall be pri- 
ma facie evidence thereof. And all district school officers may be 
engaged by the clerk of the district. If any school officer shall not 
take such engagement within a reasonable time, he shall be liable 
to a penalty of one dollar, to be recovered on complaint before any 
justice of the peace, to the use of the State : but all acts of such 
officers otherwise lawful shall be valid from the time of their elec- 
tion or appointment. 

Sec. 63. All officers under the school law shall, without a new 
engagement, hold their offices until the time of the next annual 
election or appointment for such office, and until other persons are 
appointed in their places. 

PENALTIES. 

Sec. 64. Any officer who shall make any false certificate, or ap- 
propriate any public school money to any purpose not authorized 
by law, or who shall refuse for a reasonable charge to give certified 
copies of any official paper, to account or deliver to his successor 
any accounts, papers or money in liis hands, or shall Avilfully or 
knowingly refuse to perform any duty of his office, or violate any 
provisions of any acts existing or hereafter passed, regulating pub- 
lic schools, except where a particular penalty may be prescribed, 
may be indicted therefor, and on conviction fined not exceeding five 
hundred dollars, or imprisoned not exceeding six months, and shall 
besides be liable to suit for damages by any person injured thereby. 



20 AN ACT RELATING 

Any person refusing to account or to deliver over any accounts, pa- 
pers, or monies to his successor in office, shall also he liahle to a 
suit therefor to he brought hy such successor. 

APPEALS AND LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. 

Sec. 65. Any person conceiving himself aggrieved in consequence 
of any decision or doings of any School Committee, district meet- 
ing, trustees, county inspector, or in any other matter arising under 
this act, may appeal to the Commissioner of Public Schools, who is 
hereby authorized and required to examine and decide the same 
without cost to the parties ; and his decision shall be final : Pro- 
vided, that the Commissioner may, (and if requested on the hearing 
by either party, shall) lay a statement of the facts of the case before 
some one of the Judges of the Supreme Court, whose approval of 
such decision shall then be final. And the Commissioner may pre- 
scribe from time to time rules regulating the time and manner of 
making such appeals, and to prevent their being made for trifling 
and frivolous pretences. And any persons having any matter of dis- 
pute between them arising under this act, may agree in writing 
to submit the same to the adjudication of said Commissioner, and 
his decision therein shall be final. 

Sec. 66. If no appeal be taken from a vote of a district relating 
to the ordering of a tax or rate bill, or from the proceedings of the 
officers of the district in assessing the same ; or if on appeal, such 
proceedings are confirmed, the same shall not again be questioned 
before any Court of law or magistrate whatever : Provided, that 
this shall not be construed to dispense with legal notice of the 
meeting, or with the votes or proceedings being approved by the 
School Committee or Commissioner, Avhenever the same is required 
by law. 

Sec. 67. In any civil suit before any Court, against any school 
officer, for any matter which might by this act have been heard and 
decided by the Commissioner of Public Schools, no cost shall be 
taxed for the plaintiff", if the Court are of opinion that such officer 
acted in good faith. 

Sec. 68. Any inhabitant of a district, or person liable to pay 
taxes therein, may be allowed by any Court to answer a suit brought 



TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 21 

against the district, on giving security for costs, in such manner as 
the Court may direct. 

Sec. 69. The school house lot with the school house and appen- 
dages shall be exempt from attachment or sale on execution in any 
suit against the district. When judgment has been or shall be re- 
covered in any Court of record against any school district, the 
Court rendering judgment shall order a warrant to be issued, (if no 
appeal be taken) to the assessors of taxes of the town, (or in case 
of a joint district, composed of parts of towns, then to one or more 
of the assessors of each town, with or without designating them,) 
in which such district is situated, requiring them to assess upon the 
ratable property in said district a tax sufficient to pay the debt or 
damages, costs, interest and a sum in the discretion of the Court 
sufficient to defray the expenses of assessment and collection. Said 
assessors shall, without a new engagement, proceed to assess the 
same, giving notice as in case of other district taxes. Said warrant 
shall also contain a direction to the collector of the town, (or in 
case of a joint district, then to the collector of either town the Court 
may direct,) requiring him to collect said tax ; and said warrant 
with the assessment annexed thereto shall be a sufficient authority 
for the collector, without a special engagement, to proceed and col- 
lect the same, with the same power as in case of a town tax ; and 
when collected, he shall pay over the same to the parties to whom 
it may belong, and the surplus, if any, to the district. And the 
Court may require a bond of the collector in their discretion. 

Sec. 70. "When any writ, summons or other process shall issue 
against any school district in any civil suit, the same may be served 
on the Treasurer or Clerk, and if there are no such officers to be 
found, the officer charged with ihe same may post up a certified 
copy thereof on the door of the school house, and if there is no 
school house, then in some most public place in the district, and the 
same when proved to the satisfaction of the Court, shall constitute 
a sufficient service thereof. 

Sec. 71. Inhabitants of school districts, or persons paying taxes 
therein, shall be competent witnesses in all civil and criminal cases, 
notwithstanding such interest, if not otherwise disqualified. 

Sec. 72. The record of a Clerk of a district, that a meeting has 



22 AN ACT RELATING 

been duly or legally notified, shall be prima facie evidence tbat it 
lias been notified as the law requires. The Clerk shall procure, at 
the expense of the district, a suitable bound book for keeping the 
record therein. 

DEAF AND DUMB. 

Sec. 73. The sum of two thousand five hundred dollars is here- 
by annually appropriated for the education of the indigent deaf 
mutes, indigent blind, and indigent idiots of this State. Said sum 
shall be paid out of the General Treasury to the order of the Com- 
missioner of Public Schools, who shall have full authority to deter- 
mine which of said persons in this State shall be admitted to the 
benefit thereof, and the portion which each shall receive, and the 
nstitutions at which the benefiaciries of this State shall be educated: 
Provided, that no one person shall receive any portion thereof for 
more than five years, nor a greater sum in any one year than one 
hundred dollars. 

INDIAN SCHOOL. 

Sec. 74. The General Treasurer shall pay to the Treasurer of 
the town of Charlestown the sum of one hundred dollars annually, 
to be expended under the direction of some person or persons to be 
annually appointed by the Governor, in support of a school for the 
members of the Narragansett tribe of Indians, and for the purchase 
of books, and other incidental expenses thereof; and an account of 
the expenditure of said money and of the condition of the school 
shall be transmitted to the Commissioner of Public Schools on or 
before the first Tuesday of May annually ; and in the apportion- 
ment of the public money by the Commissioner and by the School 
Committee of Charlestown, the Narragansett Indians shall not be 
included. But no person shall be employed to keep said school, 
either as principal or assistant, unless he has received a certificate 
from the School Committee of Charlestown, or some competent au- 
thority, in the same manner as is required for other public schools. 

TOLUNTARY INCORPORATIONS FOR DIERARIES, &C. 

Sec. 75. Whenever any persons, to the number of three or more, 
shall hereafter associate together for the purpose of procuring and 
maintaining a library, or procuring or supporting an academy or 
school, they shall upon complying with the following provisions. 



TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 23 

become a body corporate for that purpose, by such name as they 
may designate, and subject to such regulations, conditions and con- 
stitution as they may have adopted. And they may hold, control 
and convey real and personal estate, to an amount not exceeding five 
thousand dollars, exclusive of their building and the lot on which 
it may stand, and of their books, maps, pictures and library furni- 
ture. 

Sec. 76. In case of any association of any number of members 
heretofore formed for the purpose of maintaining a library, and not 
incorporated, any three of the members may call a meeting and ap- 
point a time and place therefor, giving to all the known members 
resident in this State, five days notice thereof, to be served as an 
original summons is required to be served, by some sheriff, deputy 
sheriff, constable or some disinterested person, who shall make oath 
thereto : and at the meeting so held, a majority of the persons pre- 
sent entitled to vote, may organize said association as a corporation 
under this act. 

Sec. 77. The library corporations formed under this act shall 
have the power to make assessments on shares and regulate by by- 
law the manner of selling them, on failure of payment : and all 
transfers of the shares shall be recorded in the books of the cor- 
poration. 

Sec. 78. All corporations organized under the seventy-fifth and 
seventy-sixth sections of this act, may elect such officers and for 
such time as they may deem proper, may regulate by by-laws the 
manner of calling annual and other meetings, may require their ofii- 
cers to give bonds, determine the manner of voting and how many 
shall constitute a quorum, and generally may make all necessary 
by-laws not inconsistent with law or their Constitution, and may 
prescribe suitable penalties for the violation of them, which, if in 
money, shall not exceed twenty dollars, and may be collected by 
action of debt, in the name of the corporation. All officers shall 
continue in office until their successors are appointed, and vacancies 
may be filled at any meeting, or in such manner as the corporation 
may direct. If no mode is provided for calling annual or other 
meetings, the Clerk or Secretary shall call a meeting on the request 
of any three members, by posting up a notice thereof five days, in. 



24 AN ACT RELATING 

some public place upon the library building, academy or school 
house, and a majority of votes, either in person or by proxy, shall 
constitute a quorum, unless otherwise provided by the corporation. 
Sec. 79. To entitle any association to the benefit of the forego- 
ing provisions, the Constitution or articles of association and all 
alterations thereof, shall be recorded in the books of land evidence 
of the town where the library, academy or school house is situated. 
Any such corporation shall not be dissolved by any reduction of the 
number of its members. 

CONSTRUCTION AND BEPEAX. 

Sec. 80. In the construction of this act, the word town shall 
include the city of Providence only so far as to entitle said city to a 
distributive share of the public money, upon making a report to the 
Commissioner in the same manner as the School Committee of other 
towns are required to do. The public schools in said city shall 
continue as heretofore to be governed according to such ordinances 
and regulations as the proper city authorities may from time to 
time adopt. 

Sec. 81. All general acts and resolutions heretofore passed, 
relating to public schools, all acts relating to the education of 
the deaf, dumb, blind or idiots, and all acts authorizing par- 
ticular towns and districts to build school houses and perform 
other duties now in this act provided for, (excepting local 
acts and resolutions relating to the schools in Newport and 
Providence) are hereby repealed. But all parts of said acts which 
remain in substance the same as before this revisal, shall be consid- 
ered as having remained in force from their first enactment ; and 
all rights vested in any persons by virtue of any act hereby repeal- 
ed, shall remain unimpaired by this act ; and all matters commenc- 
ed by virtue of any act hereby repealed, now depending and unfin- 
ished, may be prosecuted and pursued to final effect, in the same 
manner as if this act had not been passed. And no new provision 
in this act shall affect any action or suit now pending, or judgment 
rendered. 



REMARKS 

On some of the provisions of the School Law, and on the duties of dif- 
ferent officers and bodies corporate under them. 

TOWNS. 

82. In order to receive its allowance from the State Treasury, a 
town must first vote to raise the amount the law requires, (6) and 
if voted annually, the vote must be passed on or before July 1st, in 
every year. But an appropriation may be made by a standing by- 
law, under which the town treasurer may every year make the ne- 
cessary appropriation. 

38. It is believed that where a town is divided into districts, and 
each district has trustees to manage its own local affairs, it will be 
better to have the town's committee a small one, provided competent 
persons can be obtained to undertake it. Their duties are to ex- 
amine teachers, visit and have a supervision of the schools. There 
is danger that a large committee will not meet often, and that they 
will attempt to perform too many of their duties by small sub-com- 
mittees of one or more. The delegation by the whole committee, 
to each member, of the power to manage some particular district, 
was one great cause of the inefficiency of the former system. The 
examination of teachers, will, in most cases, be better done by the 
whole committee ; and incompetent persons will be less likely to ap- 
ply to the whole committee, than to a single member, to be exam- 
ined. 

By the new act, a town may appoint or authorize its committee to 
appoint a superintendant of schools, in such case the superintend- 
ant would perform the duties of examining teachers, visiting schools, 
and such other duties as the committee might assign him. This 
would relieve the committee of a very laborious portion of their 
duties. 

TOWN TREASURER. 

84. The town treasurer should, as soon as the State money is ap- 
portioned, which is to be done in May, and as soon as the school 

4 



26 TOWTM TREASUREK. 

committee have made their report and the town has voted to raise 
what the law requires, apply to the Commissioner for an order for 
his town's portion. If the town appropriation be made by standing 
by-law instead of an annual vote, he may apply immediately, pro- 
vided the school committee have made the report the law requires. 
Some towns make a practice of depositing their school money in 
some bank, which will pay them a low rate of interest. But it 
should be always subject to order. 

If the treasurer is newly elected, or his election not generally 
known, it may be well for him to procure from the town clerk a 
certificate to the fact of his being town treasurer. 

He is to keep a separate account of all school moneys, and is, 
within one week after the annual town meeting, to furnish the 
school committee with a particular account of all school moneys in 
his hands, the sources from which derived, &c. He can only pay 
out the school money (whether derived from the State, town or 
registry tax) to orders signed by the chairman or clerk of the school 
committee and if he pays it out or appropriates it otherwise, he 
would be liable to the penalty of the law. 

The town treasurer to obtain the State appropriation, should fur- 
nish to the Commissioner a certificate substantially in the following 
form, signed by himself, or the town clerk : 

Town of A. D. 18 

I certify that in addition to the funds received from the State, and 
to the unexpended school moneys of last year, received from all 
sources, this town has by vote passed in a legal town meeting, ap- 
propriated the sum of dollars, to be paid out of the 
town treasury, for the support of Public Schools in this town for the 
present year, according to law. 

A. B. 

Town Treasurer of said town. 

To C. D., 

Commissioner of Public Schools, or Town Clerk. 

SCHOOL COMMITTEES. 

85. The school committee should first be engaged and then 
elect their chairman and clerk. It would be well to have the cer- 



SCHOOL COMMITTEE. 27 

tificate of their own election and engagement made upon the record 
book itself, as loose papers are more liable to be lost. [See form. 

The number of the school committee, three or more, may be fixed 
at each annual town election. If the town fails to elect at the an- 
nual town meeting, the town council must elect them at its next 
meeting. Otherwise the old committee will hold over. But any 
town may vote to delegate to the council the power of appointing 
the committee. [See Digest, page 302, ^ 5. 

86. Vacancies. If any member of the committee resigns, 
the rest (if there be a quorum) may supply the vacancy. If so 
many resign or refuse to serve, as not to leave a quorum, the vacan- 
cy must, as in case of other town officers, be supplied by the town 
council, until the next town meeting. [See Digest, page 302, ^ 6. 

87. Meetings. 'J "hey should hold meetings at least quarter- 
ly, as the law requires. But the schools cannot prosper much, un- 
less meetings are held much oftener than this. By frequent meet- 
ings and conversation, much valuable information may be acquired. 
And it would be well for committees to be continually endeavoring 
to obtain a Icnowledge of the situation of the different districts, the 
amount of taxable property in each district, the number of the agri- 
cultural and manufacturing population respectively, &c., &c., and 
this sort of information should be preserved, as it is absolutely neces- 
sary to enable them and their successors to discharge well their 
duties. 

All acts of the school committee to be valid, must be done at a 
meeting of the committee. Giving their assent to any measure se- 
parately, and without meeting, would probably be held illegal. 

The manner of calling special meetings of the committee, should 
be regulated by bylaw. If there be no by-law, the chairman should 
call them, and should give every member notice if possible. 

83. Within a week after the annual town meeting, the 
school committee are entitled to receive from the town treasurer a 
report of all school moneys in his hands, specifying particularly the 
sources whence derived, &c. [See ^ 23. 

89. As soon as elected, the clerk of the committee should 
forward to the School Commissioner a list of the names of the com- 



28 SCHOOL COMMITTEE. 

mittee, with their post-office address, and should also inform him in 
what way packages or bundles can most conveniently be sent to 
them. This will materially aid the Commissioner in the discharge 
of the duties of his office, 

90. Laying of Districts. A town may vote to manage its 
schools collectively or by districts. If there are districts, the whole 
power of laying them off, making new ones, altering them, and of 
settling disputed boundaries, is vested by law in the school commit- 
tee, subject to an appeal to the Commissioner, 

Although the law has not required any particular notice to be 
given before deciding on making or altering districts, yet reasonable 
notice should be given in all such cases. 

In laying off districts, regard should be had to the convenience of 
attending school, the number of scholars, the valuation of property, 
and ability to provide school houses, &c. It will be always expedi- 
ent to bound them by rivers, roads, or other natural or well-known 
boundaries, when practicable. When the lines can, without incon- 
venience, be so drawn as to include all of any person's farm in the 
same district where his dwelling house is, it will save a great deal 
of trouble and expense in assessing taxes. 

In New York they bound their school districts by lines running 
from one specified point to another, and when the line crosses any 
person's farm or lot, they tax the whole farm or lot in the district 
where the dwelling house is, if there be one on it. But this rule is 
objectionable, because when a tax is contemplated, a person so situ- 
ated may avoid a portion of it by a fraudulent conveyance of his 
land. And every purchase or sale of land so situated does practi- 
cally alter the bounds of the district. 

Districts must be set off by bounds including certain land. It is 
not sufficient (in those towns where the schools are managed and 
the school houses built by districts,) to declare that a district shall 
be composed of such and such persons. The Supreme Court of 
Massachusetts have declared such districts to be invalid. [7 Pick. 
106 and 12 Pick. 206. 

When a district which has built a school house, is divided, or its 
bounds altered so as to take off any portion of it, the joint proper- 



SCHOOL COMMITTEE. ' 29 

ty is to be equitably apportioned among them. If the district owe 
any debts, they should of course be considered in the apportion- 
ment. [See the law, %_4.9.] In some cases this can be done by a 
division of the property itself. In other cases the rent or income 
may be apportioned, according to the peculiar circumstances. The 
school committee must decide such cases, subject, of course, to the 
appeal provided by the law. 

Where it is more convenient for a person belonging to one dis- 
trict to send to a school in another district, the school committee 
may alter the bounds so as to include his house ; or the trustees, or 
if no trustees, the committee may permit his children to attend such 
school and pay for it under the provisions of ^ 53. And the com- 
mittee may make the same arrangement for those who can more 
conveniently attend a school situated in a neighboring town. 

In every town, after the boundaries of the districts are settled, it 
would be well to have a description of them printed for general in- 
formation and circulation. This might, with propriety, be attach- 
ed to the School Regulations. 

91. The power of forming joint districts on the borders of 
the different towns, is also confided to the school committees. Many 
of the manufacturing villages are on streams which are the boun- 
daries of towns, and are partly in both towns. In such situations 
the school committees should encourage the union of the adjoining 
districts, as both together may be able to establish a better school, or 
keep one for a longer time, or to establish them of different grades. 

The manner of apportioning the money to a joint district is reg- 
ulated by ^ 52. 

In assigning to a district which forms part of a joint district, its 
proportion of that part of the money which is divided according to 
average attendance, the committee will of course take the average 
attendance of that portion of the scholars who belong to their own town. 
92. By the school act of 1800, the power of laying off 
school districts was vested in town councils. 

By the act of 1S28, the power is not specially vested any where, 
but was probably intended to be exercised by the school committee. 

By the act of 1839, the power was vested in the towns, but all 



30 SCHOOL COMMITTEE. 

former divisions, whether made by towns or school committees, were 
confirmed. 

By the act of June, 184-5, the power was vested in the towns. But 
by the acts of June, A. D. 1846, ^ 1, and October, A. D. 1846, (} 5, 
the sole power was vested in the school committees, where it now 
remains. 

For a history of the legislation of the State relating to public 
schools, and for a list of various special acts authorizing towns to 
divide into districts and erect school houses by taxation, see Journal 
of the R. I. Institute of Instruction, vol. 1, pages 97, 103. 

93. Location, plans, ^c. The school committee are to lo- 
cate all school houses, and to approve of all plans and specifications 
for building them. When the district is unanimous, and the location 
on the whole, unobjectionable, the committee will defer to their 
wishes ; but in cases of dispute, they should endeavor to select such 
a site as will best accommodate the greater portion of the district. 
Plans for the erection and repairs of district school houses must also 
be approved by the school committee, or by the Commissioner. This 
provision, together with that requiring that the school committee 
must approve of all rates of tuition and taxes that any district may 
order, was intended to operate as a salutary check ngainst the im- 
proper exercise of the powers given to school districts. In some dis- 
tricts there may be but few legal voters ; in others, the majority 
of voters may be persons not interested in the property in the dis- 
trict ; and various other cases may happen where a minority 
should be protected against abuse of taxation. And for this pur- 
pose, the law requires the approbation of the school committee, the 
majority of whom will probably belong to other parts of the town, 
and have no private or personal interest in the local controversies 
and disputes of the district. 

For the same reason the law requires the plan of building to be 
approved by the committee. The committee should therefore inves- 
tigate this subject, and visit and examine the best school houses, so 
as to be prepared to act when called on. They will find a vari- 
ety of plans in the document on school houses, attached to the JRe- 
port of the late Commissioner, Henry Barnard, Esq., which they 



SCHOOL COMMITTEE. 31 

can modify according to circumstances, and from which, at least, 
they may derive many useful hints. 

The subject of school houses and school apparatus, is most fully 
discussed in the work lately published by Mr. Barnard, on School 
Architecture, which includes all the various articles published in his 
different reports, while superintendent of schools in Connecticut and 
Ehode Island, and which cannot be too highly recommended to those 
wishing information on this subject. The material parts of this 
work were also printed in the three volumes of the Journal of the 
Rhode Island Institute of Instruction, copies of which have been 
furnished by the Legislature to every school district, and which will 
be found in all the public libraries. 

94. Examining Teachers. The examination of persons wish- 
ing to teach as principal or assistants, the granting of certificates 
of qualification, and the annulling of such certificates, are among 
the most important duties devolving on the school committee, and 
on their faithful performance the efficiency of the law mainly de- 
pends. 

The inefficiency of the former school system in many of the towns 
was owing to the fact tliat the duties of examining teachers and 
visiting the schools were too generally neglected or ill performed. 

The law gives the committee the povver to appoint a sub-commit- 
tee for the purpose of examining teachers. But it is respectfully 
suggested that where the whole committee can meet for this purpose, 
it is most advisable. It will have a more imposing effect upon the 
teachers themselves, and incompetent persons will be less likely to 
present themselves. 

In making such examinations, whether by the whole board, or by 
the sub-committee, they should inquire first, as to moral character. 
On this point, the committee should be entirely satisfied, before pro- 
ceeding further. Some opinion can be formed from the general de- 
portment and language of the applicant, but the safest course will 
be, with regard to those who are strangers to the committee, to 
insist on the written testimony of persons of the highest respecta- 
bility in the towns and neighborhoods where they have resided ; and 
espeoially to require the certificate of the school committee and pa- 



32 SCHOOL COMMITTEE. 

rents where they have taught before, as to the character they have 
sustained, and the influence they have exerted in the school and 
in society. 

While a committee should not endeavor to inquire into the pecu- 
liar religious or sectarian opinions of a teacher, and should not en- 
tertain any preferences or prejudices founded on any such grounds, 
they ought, without hesitation, to reject every person who is in the 
habit of ridiculing, deriding or scoffing at religion. 

And while the examination should in no case be extended to the 
political opinions of the candidate, yet it may with propriety extend 
" to their manner in expressing such belief, or maintaining it. If 
that manner is in itself boisterous and disorderly, intemperate and 
offensive, it may well be supposed to indicate ungoverned passions, 
or want of sound principles of conduct, which would render its pos- 
sessor obnoxious to the inhabitants of the district, and unfit for the 
sacred duties of a teacher of youth, who should instruct by exam- 
ple as well as by precept." — N. Y. Regulations. 

Second, as to literary attainments. The loAvest grade of attain- 
ments is specified in the school law in the proviso to ^ 55. Every 
teacher must have been found qualified by examination, or by pre- 
vious experience, which must have come to the personal knowledge 
of the committee, to teach the English language, arithmetic, pen- 
manship, and the rudiments of geography and history. An exam- 
ination as to the attainments of the teacher in these branches might 
be so conducted as to test his capacity, in those particulars, to teach 
any grade of schools. Some reference, therefore, must be had to 
the condition and wants of the district schools as they now are. 
But no person should be considered qualified to teach any school, 
who cannot speak and write the English language, if not elegantly, 
at least correctly. He should be a good reader, and be able to make the 
hearer understand and feel all that the author intended. He should 
be able to give the analysis as well as explain the meaning of the 
words of the sentence, and explain all dates, names and allusions. 
He should be a good speller ; and to test this, as well as his know- 
ledge of punctuation, the use of capitals, &c., he should be required 
to write out his answers to some of the questions of the committee. 



SCHOOL COMMITTEE. 33 

He should understand, practically the first principles of English 
grammar, as illustrated in his own writing and conversation. He 
should be able to write a good hand, to make a pen. and teach others 
how to do both. He should show his knowledge of geography by 
applying his definitions of the elementary principles to the geogra- 
phy of his own town, state and country, and by questions on the 
map and globe. He should be able to answer promptly all questions 
relating to the leading events of the history of the United States 
and his own State, in arithmetic, he should be well versed in some 
treatise on mental arithmetic, and be able to work out before the 
committee, on the black board or slate, such questions as will test 
his ability to teach the text books on arithmetic prescribed for the 
class of schools he will be engaged in. 

Third, his ability to instruct. This ability includes aptness to 
teach, a power of simplifying difficult processes, — a skill in impart- 
ing knowledge, — of inducing pupils to try, and try in such a way 
that they will derive encouragement as they go along, which must 
be given by nature, but may be cultivated by observation and prac- 
tice. An examination into the literary qualifications of a candidate 
as ordinarily conducted, and even when conducted by an experi- 
enced committee-man, or even by a teacher, will not always deter- 
mine whether this ability is possessed, or possessed in a very emi- 
nent degree. Hence it is desirable for the committee to ascertain 
what success the candidate has had in other places, if he has taught 
before ; and if this evidence cannot be had, whether he has received 
any instruction in the art of teaching ; or has been educated under 
a successful teacher ; or has visited good schools. In conducting the 
examination to ascertain this point, the candidate should be asked 
how he would teach the several studies, He should be asked how 
he would proceed in teaching the alphabet to a child who had never 
been instructed at all in it ; as for example, whether he would give 
him words or single letters ; or letters having a general resemblance ; 
or in the order in which they are ordinarily printed ; or by copying 
them on a slate or black-board, and then repeating their names after 
the teacher ; or by picking them out of a collection of alphabet 
blocks, &c. &c. So in spelling. He should be asked how he 

would classify his scholars in this branch, and the methods of ar- 
5 



34 SCHOOL COMMITTEE. 

ranging and conducting a class exercise ; how far he would adopt 
with the class the simultaneous method, and how far the practice of 
calling on each member in regular order ; how far he would put out 
the word to the whole class, and after requiring all to spell it men- 
tally, name a particular scholar to spell it orally ; how far he would 
adopt the method of writing the word, and especially the difficult 
words , on a slate or blackboard ; how far he would connect spelling 
with the reading lessons, &c. 

It will be more satisfactory sometimes, perhaps, to have a class 
of small scholars present at the examination, and let the candidate 
go through a recitation with them, so that the committee can have 
a practical specimen of his tact in teaching each branch of study ; 
in explaining and removing difficulties, &c. 

The same method of examination should be carried into reading, 
and every other branch. It is more important to know that the 
teacher has sound views as to methods, than that he is qualified as 
to literary attainments. 

Fourth, ability to govern. This is an important qualification, in- 
sisted upon by the law, and indispensable to the success of the 
schools. On this point the committee should call for the evidence 
of former experience, wherever the candidate has taught before, and 
when this cannot be had, the examination should elicit the plans of 
the teacher as to making children comfortable, keeping them all use- 
fully employed, and interested in their studies, his best system of 
rewards and punishments, and examples of the kinds of punishment 
he would resort to in particular cases, and ail other matters pertain- 
ing to the good order and government of a school. In this connec- 
tion, the age, manners, bearing, knowledge of the world, love and 
knowledge of children, &c., of the applicant, will deserve attention. 

In addition to these qualifications which the law requires, the ad- 
dress and personal manners and habits of the applicant should be 
inquired into, for these will determine in a great measure the man- 
ners and habits of the children whom he will be called upon to 
teach. 

The most thorough and satisfactory mode of conducting the exam- 
ination is by written questions and answers ; it will be desirable, if 
the examination is conducted orally, to keep minutes of the ques- 
tions and answers. 



SCHOOL COMMITTEE. 35 

W hile every teacher should be found qualified in the particulars 
specified in the law, the certificate might show the peculiar qualifi- 
cation of the person to whom it is given, viz ; that he or she is pe- 
culiarly fitted for a primary school, as principal or assistant, as the 
case may be. 

The school committee must remember that on the thoroughness 
and fidelity with which this duty is performed, depends in a great 
measure the success or failure of the school system. The whole 
machinery moves to bring good teachers into the schools, and to 
keep them as long, and under as favorable circumstances as pos- 
sib'e. 

If the teacher adds to his other qualifications, a knowledge of the 
art of singing, it will be an additional recommendation to him with 
those who desire to have a good school. Singing in school serves 
as a recreation and amusement, especially for the smaller scholars. 
It exercises and strengthens their voices and lungs, and by its influ- 
ence on the disposition and morals, enables a teacher to govern his 
school with comparative ease. 

The committee should exercise a sound discretion in the examin- 
ation. If a person has been before examined by them, and the com- 
mittee have often visited his school, and know him to be a good 
teacher, the law allows them to give him a certificate founded on 
this experience. But re-examinations can in no case do any injury, 
and by gradually increasing their rigor and adding to the require- 
ments, much may be done towards raising the general standard of 
education. The committee should, for convenience of reference, 
keep a tabular list of the names of all persons examined by them, 
either on their common record book, or in a book kept for that pur- 
pose, with columns for the date, age, place of residence of the ap- 
plicant, the result of the examination, and any other remarks that 
may appear worthy of remembrance. 

School committees should endeavor to encourage, by all the 
means in their power, our own young men to come forward and 
qualify themselves as teachers. A large portion of the money ex- 
pended here has been paid to teachers from abroad, many of whom 
were persons who could not obtain schools where they were better 
known. While the great object should be to secure the services of 



36 SCHOOL COMMITTKE. 

the best teachers, from Avhatever State they may come, it is cer- 
tainly of great importance to the State, morally, intellectually and 
politically, that we should hereafter not be so dependent upon citi- 
zens of other States for our teachers, as we have heretofore been. 
The large amount of mouev cariied away every year, is, in fact, one 
of the least of the evils of this dependence. [See the Form of Cer- 
tificate. 

Annulling Ccrfijicatcs. As a teacher's qualifications depend 
not merely upon his learning, (of which a committee can judge 
from examination,) but upon his moral character, his disposition 
and temper, and his capacity to impart information, and to govern a 
school, in regard to all which the committee may be deceived or 
not fully informed ; the law gives the committee the power to annul 
any certificate they may have given, if on trial the teacher proves 
unqualified. A teacher may also refuse to adopt the proper books, 
may introduce improper books, may refuse to adopt what the com- 
mittee deem the best methods of instruction, or may violate other 
regulations of the committee. In such cases a remedy is necessary. 

Unless the ofi'ence is gross, and the evidence palpable, it will 
generally be best to give the teacher notice of any complaint before 
deciding to annul his certificate. And in many cases friendly ad- 
vice, and a private warning conveyed in courteous language, may 
settle the difficulty and render any public proceeding unnesessary. 
[See the Form.] Even if the teacher has a certificate signed by an 
inspector, or by the Commissioner, the committee are authorized to 
dismiss him if they think proper. [§ 56. 

95. Visitation of Schools. There was no duty of the school com- 
mittee under the old law more generally neglected than that of vis- 
itation. 

The new law makes it the express duty of committees and trus- 
tees to visit the schools often. Without personal visits to the 
schools, the committee can know nothing about the teacher's capac- 
ity to impart information, or about his method of instruction and 
government. 

By § 15 the committee are authorized to employ some suitable 
person to visit the schools in their stead, and to pay him a reasona- 
ble compensation, 



SCHOOL COMMITTEK. 37 

Visiting the schools also his the effect of encouraging the teacher 
in the performance of his duties ; and if the teacher is visited and 
treated with propsr respect by the committees, trustees and parents, 
it materially aids to secure to him respectful treatment from the 
scholars, and enables him to govern his school and preserve order 
with ease, and without resorting to corporeal punishment. 

But the greatest effect is on the pupils themselves. School is 
now considered by many of them as a place of punishment. But if 
their parents and others visit them often, and take an interest in 
their studies and progress, it gives a new character at once to the 
school and the school room, and they contemplate it with pleasure 
instead of dread. 

It will also have the effect of accustoming the pupils to recite be- 
fore strangers, and help them to get rid of that timidity and reserve 
which, if not early removed, may prove a serious hindrance to their 
success in many pursuits in after life. 

While it will be advisable to assign one or more schools to each 
member of the committee, for the purpose of visitation and general 
supervision, it will be very desirable that all the schools shall be 
visited at least once a term by the same person or persons, so that a 
comparison can be instituted between the different teachers and 
schools, and the official reports and returns be made out more un- 
derstandingly. The trustees and parents of each district should be 
invited to accompany the committee on their visits ; and it will be 
well to encourage the teachers to visit each other's schools, with a 
few of their most advanced scholars. 

In visiting schools, whether by the whole board, sub-committee, 
or individually, the following are among the objects which deserve 
attention : 

The condition of the school-house and appurtenances ; its loca- 
tion ; size and condition of yard and out-buildings ; construction, 
size, outward appearance, and state of repair of building ; by whom 
built and owned, whether by town, district or proprietors ; number 
and size of entries, and whether furnished with scraper, mat, hooks 
and shelves for hats, outer garments, water-pail and cup, broom, 
duster, &c. ; dimensions of school-room, and its condition as to 
light, whether too much or too little — as to the air, pure or impiivo. 



3S SCHOOL COMMITTEE. 

— as to temperature, whether too high or too low ; modes of ven- 
tilation, whether by lowering or raising upper or lower sash, by 
opening into attic, by flue or otherwise ; whether heated by close 
or open stove, fire-place or furnace ; construction and arrangement 
of seats and desks ; whether all the scholars, and especially the 
younger, are comfortably seated, with backs to lean against, and 
with their feet resting on the floor, and all facing the teacher ; 
whether there is a platform where the teacher can overlook the 
whole school, and aisles to allow of his passing to every scholar, to 
give such instruction as may be necessary, in their seats ; whether 
there is a place to arrange the classes for recitation, and accommo- 
dations for visitors, &.C. 

On entering the school, the committee will first ascertain all nec- 
essary particulars respecting the teacher, such as his certificate, gen. 
era] plan, &/C. These will enable them to form a proper judgment 
of what takes place in the course of their subsequent inspection and 
inquiries. 

The school register should be called for, and such particulars as 
to the number and names of the scholars, their age, parents, attend- 
ance and studies, should be gleaned, as will enable them to speak 
on the importance of regular and punctual attendance, to expose 
the evils of the contrary practice, and to commend before the whole 
school those who are among the most regular. An inspection of 
the register will inform the committee what children are not con- 
nected with the school, and a kind and timely call, a word with the 
parents or guardian, may save such children from ignorance, and 
the community from its consequences. 

The committee should inquire into the number of classes, and the 
■studies they pursue. Such exercises should be called for as will 
exhibit the proficiency of the pupils, and the methods of instruction 
adopted by the teacher, and enable the committee to judge of the 
tact of the teacher in imparting information. The teacher, injus- 
tice to himself and his pupils, should be allowed to conduct some of 
the exercises himself, and in his usual manner, as the scholars, (if 
not used to being visited by strangers,) will be less timid when ex- 
amined by him, and the committee will have a better opportunity 
to see his mode of instruction. But the committee should also ask 



SCHOOL COMMITTEE. 39 

questions, and in some cases take the examination into their own 
hands. 

It will be well to place in the hands of the more advanced schol- 
ars, written or printed questions, to be answered in writing, Avhile 
the examination of other classes is going forward. And the same 
or similar questions should be asked in every school visited, and 
the answers will be to some extent an unexceptionable standard of 
comparison between the teachers and the schools. 

The committee should be careful to notice the manner in which 
the pupils spell and read. In reading, especially, there is great 
carelessness in many of our schools. They should also observe the 
teacher's manners and mode of governing. If the school is not pro- 
vided with proper maps, blackboards, &lc., by proper remarks on 
their uses and importance, they may be the means of inducing the 
district to procure them. 

Such inquiries should be made as will show how far the rules 
and regulations of the school committee are observed, as to teach- 
ers, books, the cleanliness and preservation of the school house, the 
manners of the pupils, &c. 

Great care should be taken not to wound unnecessarily the feel- 
ings of teacher or pupils, and commendation should be bestowed 
wherever it is deserved. 

Selecting Books. The schools have heretofore suffered much from 
the great variety used. It has rendered classification impossible, 
and whenever a scholar has changed his district or his school, a new 
set of books was to be purchased. Uniformity should be established 
in the schools of a town at least. And by proper management, by 
procuring some person in the town or county to act as agent, a 
great saving in expense to the parents can be effected. In regard 
to the selection, the committee are entitled to the advice of the 
Commissioner, and the benefit of his experience ; and it is expected 
that they in turn will co-operate with him in such measures as he 
may recommend or adopt to secure a uniformity of books in the 
State. 

But no rule which a committee may adopt as to the books to be 
used, should be so framed or construed, as to prevent a teacher from 
using explanations or illustrations to be found in other books upon 



40 SCHOOL COMMITTEE. 

any particular subject. In arithmetic and algebra it will be a profit- 
able exercise for the teacher to give the pupils occasionally for solu- 
tion, questions and problems from other books besides the prescribed 
ones. 

No book should be introduced into any public school by the com- 
mittee, containing any passage or matter reflecti'g in the least de- 
gree upon any religious sect, or which any religious sect would be 
likely to consider offensive. 

97. Rules and Regulations. The school committee should pre- 
scribe a system of rules and regulations respecting the age, admis- 
sion, attendance, classification, studies, discipline and instruction of 
pupils, in all the schools ; the examination and duties of teachers ; 
the kind of books to be used, &c. Useful hints in framing such 
rules may be derived from the " Eegulations " of the Providen 'c 
schools, appended to the Report of the School Commissioner for 1845, 
p. 240, (and which m^y aho be found in vol. 1 of the Journal of the 
R. I. Institute of Instruction,) and from the specimens of such rules, 
which will be found among the Forms. 

The age for admission should be uniform in all the districts of a 
town, as otherwise some districts may have the advantage over oth- 
ers in the apportionment of the public money. 

98. Apportioning Mo7iey. 'J'he committee, having ascertained 
what they can depend upon from the State Treasury, the town and 
the registry act, and having reserved an amount sufficient to defray 
the expense of printing their report, [see § 22] will apportion it as 
soon as possible, according to ^ 20. But they are not authorized to 
pay out or give an order to any district which has not complied with 
§ 21, for the year preceding. The law makes a district's complying 
with the provisions of ^ 21 for one year, a pre-requisite to its receiv- 
ing any money the next year. 

As to apportioning money to a joint district, see § 52, and to a 
secondary school, supported by two districts, see ^ 50. 

It will in all cases be desirable, and the safest course for the 
committee, to let the school money remain in the town treasury, 
(at interest, if possible) until the schools are kept, and not to give 
orders for it any faster than they are satisfied it is actually expend- 
ed. It may then be paid to the teacher or his order, on his produc- 



SCHOOL COMMITTEiE. 41" 

ing or sending a bill certified or allowed by the trustees, or other- 
wise, at the discretion of the committee. 

The committee will find it greatly to their convenience to keep a 
separate book for their accounts. In this book a separate account 
might be opened with each school or school district, in which the 
district should be from time to time credited with the money appor- 
tioned to them, and then charged with the orders which have been 
given to them. 

Another separate account may be so kept, by listing all the sums 
of money appropriated to schools on one side, and all orders given 
on the other, as to show at any time the balance under the commit- 
tee's control. 

99. Reports. By ^ 43, trustees are to report to the school com- 
mittee, at such time and in such form as the committee or Commis- 
sioner may prescribe. These returns must be made in season to 
enable the committee to digest them, and prepare a report to the 
Commissioner by July 1st; [S> 22,] for which reports the Commis- 
sioner will furnish forms. The committee are, also, at the annual 
town meeting, to make a written or printed report to the town, of 
all their doings, the condition of the schools, plans for their improve- 
ment, &c. 

By ^ 22 the committee are authorized to reserve enough (not ex- 
ceeding $20) out of the school money to print their reports. And 
it is believed that no part of the school expenditure would do more 
good and tend more to keep up an interest in the schools, than this. 

100. The committee must aid in organizing districts, by giving the 
notice for the first meeting. And when there are no trustees, or 
when the trustees neglect to call meetings, the committee must call 
them. In such cases they may direct the mode of notice. [See § 
25, 27, 30. 

101. Any district when met, may, by ^ 38, vote to devolve upon 
the committee, with their consent, the whole management of their 
schools ; and in that case the committee can exercise in that district 
all the powers which the district itself might exercise, may keep the 
school, have the custody of the school house, fix the rate of tuition, 
&c. 

102. By ^ 38, if any district neglect to organize, or if organized, 



42 SCHOOL COMMITTEE. 

shall, for the space of six months neglect or refuse to establish a 
school, the committee may, either by themselves or their agent, em- 
ploy and pay a teacher for the district. 

103. Gradation of Schools. The school committee can promote 
a gradation of schools, or a separation of the younger and the older 
scholars, and the primary and advanced studies into distinct 
schools or departments. 

Whenever the schools of a town are managed independent of 
districts, a sufficient number of schools of different grades can be 
established by the committee, at convenient locations, varying in the 
studies pursued according to the circumstances of the population. 

And in towns which are divided into districts, there are many 
villages and thickly settled districts, where a gradation of schools 
can be introduced. By separating the small children from the older 
scholars, the instruction of both can be carried on to greater advan- 
tage, and with a great economy of time and expense. By putting 
the small children under the care of a female teacher, they can 
have more of the teacher's time devoted to them, and will learn 
with a rapidity surprising to those who have not seen the effects of 
it. This enables the teacher of the large scholars to devote his 
whole attention to their improvement. 

They may recommend the union of two or more adjacent dis- 
tricts, for the purpose of establishing a secondary or grammar sohool 
for the older and more advanced pupils of each district. This can 
be done to advantage in almost every town. [See ^ 50. 

In order to encourage the union of districts for the purpose of 
keeping a better school, ^ 5\ provides that they may unite and still 
receive the same amount of money they would receive if not united. 

104. Records. At the beginning of the year the committee 
should have a warrant or certificate of their election from the town 
clerk, (see Form,) which it would be well to have made upon the 
record book itself, as loose papers are often lost. Then let the cer- 
tificate of engagement follow in order. 

The clerk should record any motion negatived, as well as those 
adopted, as parties may be interested, and have a right to appeal, in 
many cases, from a negative vote as well as from an affirmative one. 

When it can be conveniently done, the minutes of the proceed- 



TRUSTEES. ^ 

ings, as drawn out by the clerk, should be read in open meeting, or 
at the next meeting, for correction, if necessary. Misunderstand- 
ings may thus be prevented. 

The clerk should always record the names of the members of the 
committee present at any meeting. He should also keep the copies 
of all abstracts, and all reports made to the Commissioner, so that 
the committee may have them for future reference and comparison. 

TKUSTEES. 

105. One or three trustees are to be appointed by a district at its 
annual meeting. If by any accident an election is not made then, 
or if a vacancy occurs, the district may elect afterwards. [§ 37. 

By § 63, trustees hold their offices until their successors are ap- 
pointed. 

106. If there are three trustees, a majority can act. " Where a 
body or board of officers is constituted by law to perform a trust for 
the public, or to execute a power or perform a duty prescribed by 
aw, it is not necessary that all should concur in the act done. The 
g^ct of the majority is the act of the body. And where all have due 
notice of the time and place of meeting, in the manner prescribed 
by law, if so prescribed, — or by the rules and regulations of the 
body itself, if there be any — otherwise if reasonable notice is given, 
and no practice or unfair means are used to prevent all from attend- 
ing and participating in the proceeding, it is no objection that all 
the members do not attend, if there be a quorum." [21 Pick. Rep. 
28. 

107. The trustees must employ the teacher. It is suggested that 
a trustee should not employ a near relative to keep the school with- 
out consulting the district. Jealousies and disputes will thus be 
avoided. 

In employing a teacher or assistant teacher, trustees should be 
cautious to employ no one who has not a legal certificate, and not 
to employ one after notice that his certificate is annulled, as in such 
a case the trustees might be held personally liable for the teacher's 
wages. (See the form.) The trustees should see that the teacher 
keeps a proper register of attendance, in order that his district may 
receive its dne portion of school money next year ; and when the 
school is over, this register should be deposited with the trustees. 



44 TRUSTEES. 

or in the office of the clerk of the district. They should require the 
teacher to furnish them Avith such items of information as are nec- 
essary to make out their annual report to the town committee, which 
report should be made about the first of May, or sooner if the school 
is out, or at such time as the committee shall fix. Forms for these 
reports will be furnished to the districts, and can be obtained from 
the committee or from the town clerk's office. 

If trustees appropriate any of the public money to pay a teacher 
not legally examined, they are liable to a penalty under § 64, 

The school must be kept four months in order to obtain the money 
for the next year. And the trustees without waiting for a vote of 
the district, may, if the public money is insufficient, assess a rate 
sufficient to keep the school four months, (see § 59) taking care, 
however, to have the rate approved by the School Committee, and 
exempting those they consider unable to pay. 

If any scholars can more conveniently attend school in an adjoin- 
ing district, trustees are authorized by § 53, to make a bargain for 
that purpose. They should also take care that the school is kept 
in a house which will not be disapproved of by the committee of the 
town. [§ 21. 

108. Trustees should regard the visiting of the schools as one of 
the most important of their duties, and which should by no means 
be neglected. For some account of the subjects they should inquire 
into, whenever they visit a school, see § 95. 

109. When a district is organized and has trustees, they are to 
notify the annual and special district meetings, and if there be no 
district school house, or place appointed by the district, they are to 
fix the place of meeting. If the trustees on application neglect to 
call a meeting, the School Committee may call it. [See § 27. 

Trustees for refusal to discharge any duty, call a meeting, assess 
a tax, &LC. &c., are liable to a penalty by § 64 of the law^. And the 
Supreme Court would probably, upon application, compel any school 
officer, by writ of mandamus, to discharge any duty plainly imposed 
on him by the law. 

110. Trustees should encourage meetings of teachers in their 
neighborhood, for mutual improvement. And if any teacher neg- 
lects or refuses to attend a teacher's institute, when organized under 



DISTRICTS. 45 

proper auspices, and when he conveniently can, it should be regard- 
ed as a sign of unfitness for the place. No one is so well qualified, 
as not to be able to learn from his fellows many useful hints as to 
methods of teaching, books, &c., and no one should be unwilling or 
*oo proud to learn. 

111. Trustees should see that an inventory of all the maps, books 
and other property belonging to the district, is made from time to 
time, and preserved among the papers of the district. 

Several years since, a copy of Dr. Jackson's Geology of Rhode- 
Island was distributed by the Legislature to every school district. 
And two years since, each district received from the State a copy 
of the three volumes of the Journal of the R. I. Institute of Instruc- 
tion, published by our late Commissioner, Henry Barnard, Esq- 
These contain all the school documents, reports, history of school 
legislation, plans of school houses and a great variety of valuable 
nformation. If there is a library in the district, that will be the 
best place of deposit for these books. 

Every district should possess a dictionary, to be kept as an ap- 
pendage to the school house. Maps of the State, the United States* 
and of the town, (if there is one) should be procured. 

The trustees should keep a regular account of all moneys they 
may receive from assessments or other sources. 

112. Trustees should recollect that in order to obtain from the 
School Committee any order for money, they must have made a 
proper return from their district, for the year ending on the first of 
May previous, and must also furnish to the committee a certificate 
that the " teacher's money," (i. e. the money which the district re- 
ceived from the town treasurer as their part of the State appropria- 
tion) for the year ending the 1st of May previous, had been applied 
to the wages of teachers, and for no other purpose whatever. 

The return of the district should include the whole time during 
which any portion of the public money has been used to support the 
school. 

For further particulars, see the law. See also the forms. 

DISTRICTS. 

113. In order to be eligible to any district office, a person must 



46 DISTRICTS. 

possess the qualifications of a voter ; and any voter may be elected 
to any district office. 

It is sufficient if the person elected have the qualifications of a 
voter at the time of his election. He will not afterwards lose the 
office by losing his qualification to vote. 

To enable a person to vote in district meeting, he must reside in 
the district and possess the qualifications requisite to entitle him to 
have his nam.e put upon the voting list of the town ; but his name 
need not actually be upon the list. 

114. Meetings. As to notifying meetings, see ^ 29 and 30. 
When met the district must organize by choosing a moderator and 
clerk. The moderator need not be engaged. The clerk may be 
engaged in open meeting by the moderator, and the clerk may then 
engage all other district officers, and his record will be evidence of 
his own and their engagements. Every district meeting may 
choose a moderator who will preside at the meeting and any ad- 
journments of it. But the clerk is an annual officer. When met 
they may vote to devolve the care of the district school on the school 
committee, [see ^ 38 and form,] or may appoint one or three trus- 
tees to manage it. If they fail to appoint officers at their annual 
meeting, they may appoint them afterwards, and may fill vacancies 
at any time. 

If the moderator refuses to put questions to vote, or he or any 
other district officer violates the law, they are liable to pay a fine. 
[See ^ 64. 

The annual district meeting is to be in April or May, but special 
meetings may be called by the trustees at any time. 

By § 71, inhabitants of districts may be witnesses in all cases, 
and so may prove (if disputed) the legality of the notice and meet- 
ing, and the clerk's record that the meeting has been duly notified, 
will be prima-facie evidence of the fact. fSee ^ 72. 

115. Vacancies may happen from any of the causes specified in 
§ 37. A resignation need not be in writing. The person resigning 
should give information of it to the person or corporation authorized 
to fill the vacancy. 

116. At all district meetings a reasonable time should be allowed 
for the people to assemble. And if in the course of proceeding, 



DISTRICTS. - 47 

any legal vote is rejected, or any illegal vote is received by the mod- 
erator, by which the result is affected, an appeal may be taken to 
the Commissioner for redress. 

117. Districts may fix a rate of tuition to be paid by the parents 
towards the support of the school, (provided said rate be approved 
by the school committee.) But no scholar can be excluded from 
the school on account of the inability of his parents to pay the rate. 

Or the district may authorize the trustees to fix the rate or as- 
sessment. And either district or trustees must exempt such as they 
consider unable to pay the assessment. And to guard against any 
abuse of this power, if a person is assessed for a rate who is una- 
ble to pay, he may apply to any Justice of the Peace and be dis- 
charged on taking the poor debtor's oath, without waiting to be com- 
mitted to jail. A liberal discretion should be used in exempting 
poor parents from the rate. Few will claim an exemption in such 
a case unless there is a real inability. 

1 18. Quorum of District Meetings. It has been repeatedly de- 
cided in the courts of England and this country, that at common 
law where there is no statute provision, when a meeting of a cor- 
poration, consisting of an indefinite number of persons, (as towns, 
districts, &c.,) is properly notified, no particular number is requisite 
to form a quorum, but a majority of those present may act. 

To require a majority of the voters of a district, would in many 
cases prevent the doing of any business at all. And to fix any par- 
ticular number would be difficult, because there are some districts 
where this number would be more than the whole number of voters. 
The law has therefore required the notice of the meeting to be giv- 
en with great particularity, and then presumes that every voter who 
does not attend, assents to what is done by those present. 

At the same time, it will not be advisable to proceed in any mat- 
ter of importance, such as laying a tax, &c., unless a respectable 
number of voters attend. 

119. Reconsideration. A district may reconsider and rescind any 
vote at any time before any contract has been made under it. But 
after a contract has been made, or an individual has incurred any 
expense or liabilities in consequence of a vote of the district, they 
cannot with justice rescind it. And if rescinded, they will be held 



4S DISTRICTS. 

liable to make good all damages and losses incurred. [See ^ 467 

120. Taxation. The districts have power to purcliase, hire and 
repair school houses, provide blackboards, maps, furniture, a clock 
or timepiece, a school library, bell, record and account books, mats, 
scrapers, water pails, and other necessary and useful appendages. 
The law gives them a general power to tax for school purposes. 
They may tax to pay rent of a hired house. They may also tax 
to repair a hired house, provided they have a valid lease of it for 
a definite period. And to guard against any abuse of this power, 
the tax must be approved by the school committee, and the plans 
for building and repairs must also be approved by the committee 
or Commissioner. And in all cases of laying taxes, it would be 
better to specify the precise amount, or the precise rate of the tax.' 

Fuel and tuition, (over and above what is received from the town 
and State money) may be raised either by a tax an the property of 
the district or by an assessment on the parents of the scholars. 
[See ^ 59.] But an assessment for this purpose must be author- 
ized by the district, except that the trustees are authorized to raise 
a rate sufficient to keep a four months' school. And the votes 
must in all cases be approved by the school committee. 

[See the forms and notes and especially the notes to* the form of 
a vote for laying a tax.] 

121. Use of school house for other purposes. A school house built 
or bought by taxation, on the property of the district, should not be 
used for any other purpose than keeping a school, or for purposes 
directly connected with education, except by the general consent of 
the tax paying voters. The law gives the district the power of 
raising money by tax for no other purposes. To construe it other- 
wise, would be indirectly to give to the majority of a district the 
power to erect a meeting house for themselves, and to tax those of a. 
different persuasion, who constituted the minority, to help build it. 
But where a school house is given to the district or built by sub- 
scription, its use will of course depend upon the terms of the dona- 
tion or subscription. 

A district cannot vote to dissolve itself. Such a vote will be whol- 
ly null and void. 



UNION OF DISTRICTS DISTRICT CLERK. 49 



TTNION OF DISTRICTS. 

122. There are three provisions made in the law for uniting dis- 
tricts. B/ § 51, any two districts may form a partial union for the 
purpos:? of suppo'ting a higher, secondary or grammar school. This 
would not probably be found so convenient in practice as an entire 
union under the succeeding sections. 

By ^ 52, any contiguous districts in adjoining towns may be 
united by the school committees, and by ^ 51, first enacted June, 
A. D. 1S4.9, adjoining districts in the same town may consolidate 
themselves. When united they constitute a single district, and their 
affairs must be managed in the same way as if originally one dis- 
trict. They may prescribe the mode of notifying their meetings, 
lay taxes. &c. But they will be entitled to the same proportion of 
public money they would receive if not united. 

DISTRICT CLERK. 

123. The district clerk should be engaged by the moderator in 
open nieeting and make a record of it. If not engaged in open 
meeting, he should be engaged before some officer mentioned in ^ 62 
and liave a certificate of it, which it would be better to have made 
in the district record book. When engaged, he may engage all other 
district officers, and should enter all such cases in his record book. 

He should make himself thoroughly acquainted with all the pro- 
visions of the liw relating to district meetings, notices, &c., as 
upon his proceedings and proper management their legality will in 
many cases depend. 

When a trustee, treasurer, Sec, is elected.the clerk should make out 
and sign and seal a warrant or certificate of his election, upon 
which he may be engaged. [See Forms. 

The clerk should, at the request of any person interested, record 
a motion which is negatived, as well as a motion passed, as in 
many cases a parson may be entitled to an appeal. And he should 
record the number and names of the voters on request. [^ 32. 

In the record of every meeting, it would be well for the clerk to 
state how the meeting was notified, and when and by whom the 
notices were posted up. In many cases at some distance of time, 
it might be important to know how the meeting was notified, and 



50 DISTRICT TREASURER DISTRICT COLLECTOR. 

the evidence of it should not be left to depend upon mere recollec- 
tion. By ^ 72, the record of the clerk is made prima facie evidence 
that the meeting was legally notified, and inhabitants of the district 
can be admitted to prove the notice. But it would be easy and best 
to preserve one of the original notices themselves, especially when a 
tax is to be voted. 

It would be well also for the clerk, at the close of every meeting, 
to read aloud the minutes he has made of the proceedings, so that 
any mistake may be corrected at the time. 

'J'he clerk is to procure a bound record book at the expense of 
the district. For any wilful neglect or refusal to perform any duty, 
he is liable to indictment, and the Supreme Court would probably 
upon application, compel him by writ of mandamus, to perform any 
duty. [See Clerk in the Index. 

DISTRICT TREASURER. 

124 It would be well for the treasurer to have a certificate of his 
election or warrant [see Form] and be engaged. He need not give 
bond unless required, [^ 37.] But if the district requires him to 
give bond, the district should fix the sum and approve of the surety 
or sureties. [9 37, and Digest, page 304, ^21. 

His duties are very simple j to keep the district's money, if they 
have any, pay it out to order, and keep proper accounts of it, and 
exhibit them to the trustees or district when required. 

DISTRICT COLLECTOR. 

125. [See the, Forms for collecting taxes and notes.'] If the dis- 
trict requires the collector to give bond, the district should fix the 
sum. And it would be well also to have the district approve of the 
surety or sureties. [See Digest, page 304, ^ 19. 

TEACH BRS. 

126. Every teacher is required to keep a register of all the schol- 
ars attending, their names, ages, names of parents or guardians, the 
time when they enter and leave school, and their daily attendance, 
and the dates when the school is visi'ed by the Commissioner, coun- 
ty inspector, committee or trustees. Forms for these registers will 
be prepared by the Commissioner. He must also furnish the trus- 
tees or district with such information as may be necessary to make 
the returns required by the school committee. 



TKACHERS. 51 

The teacher should inform the committee of the time of commenc- 
ing and closing his school, in order that they may know when to 
visit it. 

127. It is important that the register be correctly kept, and the 
average rightly calculated, as upon that depends the amount of mon- 
■ey the district will receive next year. 

To ascertain the average, place the number of those who have 
attended each half day in a column under each other successively, 
add together, and divide the sum by the number of half days the 
school has been kept. The result will be the average to be report- 
ed. In case the school is kept longer than the four months requir- 
ed by law, the committee must use their discre'ion in fixing a rule 
for calculating the average. It should be uniform in each town. 
Where a summer term and a winter term are kept, and a different 
set of scholars attend each term, the following will probably answer. 
Calculate the average for the first term of four months, as before 
stated. Then for the other term take the names of all those who 
did not attend the other term, calculate the average of their attend- 
ance and add it to the first. 

A uniform rule should be adopted as to scholars belonging to one 
district who attend school in another. 

When a district allows any of the children belonging to it to at- 
tend school in another district and pays for them, it seems reasona- 
tle that the district which pays for them should be entitled to reckon 
them in making out its own average atten dance. 

128. The teacher should conform to all regulations of the schooj 
committee, in regard to hours, discipline, books, Sz,c., as for any 
violation of them his certificate may be annulled, or he may be dis- 
missed. [§ 56.] He may, (if the school committee by regulation 
authorize it,) suspend a scholar temporarily, until a hearing can be 
had before the committee, in which case, he should immediately 
notify the committee. 

The teacher should assist the trustees by all the means in his 
power, in making proper reports, as upon the accuracy and fullness 
of these reports may depend the success or failure of many provisions 
of the law, as well as the wisdom of future alterations of it. 

A teacher should exercise great caution about commencing the 



92 T£ACH£RS. 

business of teaching in his own district, and more especially when 
the trustee is his own father, or near relative. It is almost impos- 
sible in such cases to avoid difficulty. 

The law requires that the teacher should be qualified to teach 
certain branches. But he may teach other branches, and should 
endeavor to qualify himself for teaching the higher branches. 

If the teacher has a proper sense of the importance of his position, 
and conducts himself accordingly, he will secure to himself the affec- 
tion and respect of the people of his district, by exerting his utmost 
powers to promote the moral and intellectual advancement, not only 
of his scholars, but of the community around him. The moral in- 
fluence he may exert by his example and instructions, can hardly be 
estimated. And he may, by encouraging lectures and literary meet- 
ings, aid in diffusing much useful information. 

129. In regard to the use of the Bible in schools, two observa- 
tions occur here. If the committee prescribe, or the teacher M'ishes 
to have the Bible read in school, it should not be forced upon any 
children whose parents have any objections whatever to its use. In 
most cases the teacher will have no difficulty with the parents on 
this subject, if he conducts with proper kindness and courtesy. In 
the next place, no scholars should be set to read in the Bible at 
school, until they have learned to read with tolerable fluency. To 
use it as a text book for the younger scholars, often has the effect of 
leading them to look upon it with the same sort of careless disre- 
gard, and sometimes dislike, with which they regard their other 
school books, instead of that respect and veneration with which this 
Book of books should always be treated and spoken of. 

IbO. There is another object, in the attainment of which, teach, 
ers may materially aid. In almost every school, there will be pu. 
pils studying surveying. By encouraging these to survey the limits 
of the district, he may not only give his scholars most valuable les- 
sons in the practice of the art, but by overseeing and ascertaining 
Hs correctness, may aid in procuring a good map of the town and 
'he State. These maps might be drawn on a scale of rods to 

an inch, and represent the rivers, roads, principal buildings and 
farms, and any remarkable monuments and natural features of the 
district. Copies could be sent to the school committee, who might 



TEACHERS. 53 

put them together, and thus obtain a correct map of their township. 

13 1. Power to punish. The teacher should endeavor to exercise 
an inspection over tlie conduct of his scholars at all times. But the 
power to punish for ofFrnces committed out of school is doubtful. 

In a case where a boy had committed a theft out of school, the 
teacher called him to account for it, and punished him for refusing 
to answer. The Court ruled that the teacher had no right to pun- 
ish him for refusing to confess a crime for which he might be pun- 
ished at law. 

It has always been difficult to define the extent of the power of the 
teacher over his pupils out of school. The same difficulty has been 
met with in other titates and countries. 

The following upon this subject is from an excellent French trea- 
tise upon Education, by J. Willm, Inspector of the Academy at 
Strasbourg, p. 176: "The last question which presents itself is, 
how far teacheis should pay attention to the conduct of the pupils 
out of school, and especially at the time when they resort to it or 
re'^urn home. The road leading to school is truly a part of it, if we 
may so speak, as well as the play ground. Consequently any dis- 
orders ccmmitted by the pupils en it, ought to be suppressed by the 
teacher. He ought especially to watch over them at their play, for 
the sake of discipline, as well as for that of education in general. 
Their games are, as has been said, of serious importance to him. 
The conduct of the pupils, when under the paternal roof, and every- 
where but in the school or the road leading to it, escapes all the 
means of discipline ; but the teacher ought not to be indifferent to 
that conduct, especially in the country ; he should carefully enquire 
concerning it, for the sake of moral education. For the same rea- 
son, he will have to watch over his own conduct out of school, and 
avoid Avhatever might tend to diminish the respect his pupils owe 
to him, and which is the chief condition of the success of his mis- 
ion." 

The following remarks upon the same subject are from the Tenth 
Report of Hon. Horace Mann, late Secretary of the Board of Educa- 
tion in Massachusetts : 

" The question is not without some practical difficult)'-, how far 
the school committee and teachers may exercise authority over school 



-34 TEACHERS, 

children, before the hour when the school begins, or after the 
hour when it closes, or outside of the school house door or yard. 

On the one hand, there is certainly some limit to the jurisdiction 
of the committee and teachers, out of school hours and out of the 
school house ; and on the other hand, it is equally plain if their 
jurisdiction does not commence until the minute for opening the 
school has arrived, nor until the pupil has passed within the door 
of the school room, that all the authority left to them in regard to 
some of the most sacred objects for which our schools were institut- 
ed, would be but of little avail. To what purpose would the teacher 
prohibit profane or obscene language among his scholars, within the 
school room and during school hours, if they could indulge it with 
■'mpunity, and to any extent of wantonness, as soon as the hour for 
dismissing the school should arrive ? To what purpose would he 
forbid quaireling and fighting among the scholars, at recess, if they 
could engage in single combat, or marshal themselves into hostile 
parties for a general encovmler, within the precincts of the school 
house; within the next five minutes after the school house should 
be closed ? And to what purpose would he repress insolence to him- 
self, if a scholar as soon as he had passed the threshold, might shake 
his fist in his teacher's face, and challenge him to personal combat? 

These considerations would seem to show that there must be a 
portion of time, both before the school commences and after it has 
closed, and also a portion of space between the door of the school 
house and that of the paternal mansion, where the jurisdiction o 
the parent on one side, and of the committee and teachers on the 
other, is concurrent. 

Many of the school committees in this Commonwealth have acted 
in accordance with these views, and have framed regulations for the 
government of the scholars, both before and after school hours, and 
while going to and returning from the school. The same principle 
of necessity by virtue of which this jurisdiction, out of school hours, 
and beyond school premises, is claimed, defines its extent and affixes 
its limit. It is claimed because the great objects of discipline and 
of moral culture would be frustrated without it. When not essen- 
tial, therefore, to the attainment of these objects, it should be fore^ 
borne." 



APPEALS. 55 

132. That the teacher may know that the law has amply provid- 
ed for the protection of his school against all who may be disposed 
to disturb it, we publish here the provision of the law. " Every 
person who shall be convicted of wilfully interrupting or disturbing 
any town or ward meeting, any assembly of people met for religious 
worship, or any public or private school, or any meeting lawfully 
and peaceably held for purposes of literary or scientific improve- 
ment, either within or without the place where such meeting or 
school is held, shall be imprisoned not exceeding one year, or fined 
not exceeding five hundred dollars." [Digest, p. 395, § 93. 

A complaint under this act may be made to the Attorney General, 
or any justice of the peace. 

APPEALS. 

133. The law has AVisely provided a cheap and efficient mode of 
settling all disputes arising under the school law. It was intended 
to save the expense of litigation to districts and individuals, and it 
is believed that it has already had the effect of saving a great ex- 
penditure of money in this way as well as effecting a more speedy 
settlement of difficulties, which, if continued, would interrupt the 
harmony of the districts and injure the schools. An appeal may be 
taken to the Commissioner, [see the Forms] and he will hear the 
parties without cost, and his decision is to be final. When ques- 
tions of law arise, provision is made for laying them before one of 
the Judges of the Supreme Court, but the Judges will not examine 
or hear the parties upon the facts of the case. 

Any party neglecting to appeal from a vote to tax, or assessment 
of a tax, cannot question it afterwards, [^ 66] provided the meeting 
was legally notified, and the tax approved, &c. 

It has been settled that an appeal brings the whole question up, 
and that the Commissioner in many cases is not confined to con- 
firming or reversing the proceedings appealed from, but may make a 
new decision. 

All appeals, however, should be taken within a reasonable time, 
and before any contract is made, or liability i'-.curred, under the vote 
or act appealed from. If the appeal is not made within such a 
reasonable time, that circumstance alone will be a sufficient reason 



56 DEAF, DUMB, BUND, IDIOTS, INSANE, LIBRARIES. 

for dismissing it. And no appeal will be entertained unless made 
by the party aggrieved. 

DEAF, DUMB, BLIND, IDIOTS AND INSANE. 

134. By ^ 73, the sum heretofore appropriated for the deaf and 
dumb, blind and idiots, is increased to two thousand five hundred 
dollars annually, and the Commissioner of Public Schools is ap- 
pointed to distribute it. 

By a separate act of the Legislature the Governor is authorized 
to aid in maintaining poor insane persons at the Butler Asylum, at 
Providence. And by another act the sum of fifteen dollars per 
quarter is appropriated out of the Stats Treasury to aid the towns 
in supporting their insane poor at the Asylum. 

As there are a number of these in every town in the State, the 
school committees, and friends of education and humanity, should 
look them "p and see that they receive tlieir proper share of the ap- 
propriations. 

LIBRARIES. 

13-5. By § •'i, towns, and by ^ 34, districts are authorized to main- 
tain school libraries. The act of January, 1840, provided for 
district libraries, but for several years very little was done under 
it. 

By ^ 75, 76, 77, 7S and 79, provision is made by which library 
associations may form themselves into a corporotion without apply- 
ino- to the Assembly for a charter. These provisions were first en- 
acted in the School Law of January, A. D., 1839. 

Persons wishing to form these associations will find much valua- 
ble information as to the selection of books, lists of suitable books, 
&c., prepared by Mr. Barnard, in vol. 2 of the Journal of the R. L 
Institute of Instruction. Vol 3 contains the catalogue of the Wes- 
terly Library, the best school library in the State. This catalogue 
wis prepared by the Rev. Thomas H. Vail, of Westerly, and is a 
model of what a catalogue should be. 

Specimens of suitable regulations for libraries, will be found in 
the Journal, vol. 2, p. 204. The regulations of the Westerly libra- 
ry are in the Journal, vol. 3, p. 433. 

In the greater part of the towns, library associations have been 
formed and in some towns, several. These school libraries alone, 



LlEllARlEt-. 57 

now contania a great number of volumes, accessible to all. In all 
towns or neighborhoods where there are none, exertions should be 
made at once to obtain them. The Commissioner will always be 
ready to aid in every way in his power. 

A list of the school libraries already formed, may be seen in the 
Journal, vol. 3, p. 428. For many of these the public are indebted 
to the exertions of the late Commissioner, Mr. Barnard, aided by 
several public spirited gentlemen in Providence. 

136. The following is the proper form for the Constitution of an 
Association formed under the above laws : 

FORM OF mCORPOEATION. 

We, the subscribers, agree to associate and incorporate ourselves 
for the purpose of maintaining a public library by the name of the 

under the provisions contained for that purpose in " An act 

to revise and amend the laws regulating public schools," passed at 
the June session of the General Assembly, A. D., 1851, and to be 
governed by the following constitution : 

Article 1. This association shall be called the ;-. The 

Library shall be established and maintained at such place or places 

within the town of as the directors may from time to time 

appoint. 

2. The officers of the association shall be a President, Vice- 
President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Librarian, who shall constitute 
a board of directors for the management of the business of the as- 
sociation, ac-jording to such rules as the association may from time 
to time adopt. 

3. The annual meeting shall be held at , on , and 

any officer shall be elected by ballot if demanded by any mem- 
bers. [The treasurer and librarian shall give bonds to the corpora- 
tion in the sum of each, with security to the satisfaction 

of the President for the faithful discharge of their duties.] 

4. Any member for disorderly or immoral conduct may be ex- 
pelled, and any officer for misconduct may be removed at any regu- 
larly notified meeting of the society. 

5. The directors may make all such regulations as they may 

deem proper for the government of the library, and prescribe fines 

for non-compliance, and may in any case of misuse of books, pro- 
8 



5S LIBRARIES. 

hibit any person from using the library, until satisfaction is made. 

6. The library shall be held by the association, not in shares for 
the benefit of shareholders, but in trust for the public benefit ; to 
be open to all who shall comply with such reasonable rules as shal 
from time to time be made 'by the association or directors ; and for 
the purpose of continuing the existence of the corporation, the asso- 
ciation will from time to time elect as members such persons as 
they shall think most likely to co-operate zealously in promoting 
ts objects. No member shall be admitted unless proposed at a 
previous meeting. 

[_Note to Art. 6. This section will answer for all cases where the 
library is established by donations, and is intended to be for the 
benefit of the whole public. And this is undoubtedly the best plan 
for getting up such libraries. In this case, the corporation might 
be named " The Trustees of the Library." 

But if the library is intended to be owned in shares, and for the 
benefit of the shareholders, this article should be altered accordingly. 
They will then have the power to assess the shares and to sell them 
for non-payment of assessments. In this case the shareholders will 
be the members and compose the corporation. The law provides 
how the shares may be transferred.] 

7. This constitution may be amended at any annual meeting, 
provided notice of the intended amendment has been given at some 
previous meeting. The Secretary shall cause this constitution and 
all alterations thereof to be recorded in the records of land evidence 
of the town of , as the law requires. 

The above are all the provisions necessary to be inserted in the 
constitution. All other provisions had better be made in the shape 
of Rules or Regulations, which might be altered from time to time 
with less trouble. 

Whenever it is intended to establish a permanent library, it will 
always be most prudent to be incorporated as above. If a library 
is owned by several persons unincorporated, it will be liable to divi- 
sion, and each one's interest liable to attachment. In a corpora- 
tion, the share only could be attached, and where the corporation 
hold the library merely as trustees, (as provided in Art. 6, above,) 



LIBRAKIES. 59 



no individual would have any attachable interest whatever. 

In the Journal of R. I. Institute of Instruction, vol. 3, page 433, 
will be found the constitution of the Pawcatuck Library Association, 
a form differing from the above. The Pawcatuck Library is owned 
by shareholders. 



FORMS. 



These forms have been drawn out in order to assist those who 
may be disposed to undertake any office or duty under the school 
laws, to save them expense and trouble, and to bring about a uni- 
formity of practice, as far as can be done. These forms are not 
prescribed by law, but are believed to conform substantially to the 
law, and to be safe precedents. 

137. Warrant or Certificate of election of School Officers. 

To of Greeting. 

This certifies that you the said were at a 

[town or district] meeting, held on the day of 

A. D. 18 chosen to the office of of [the town 

or district No. ] and are by virtue of said appointment fully 

authorized and empowered to discharge all the duties of said office, 
and to exercise all the powers thereto belonging, according to law. 

. /-»--^— ^ . Witness my hand, and the seal of said [town or dis- 
) ^' ^- I trict] hereto affixed by me, this 

' '■^'^'' day of A. D. 18 



138. Engagement of School Officers. 

Town of A. D. 18 

Before the subscriber personally appeared and 

took an oath to support the Constitution of the United States, the 
Constitution and laws of this State, and faithfully to discharge the 
duties of the office of School Committee [or Clerk, Trustee, Treas- 
urer of school district No, as the case may be] so long as he 
lontinues therein. 

A. B. Justice of the Peace or 
Notary, as the case may be. 
Note. See 5 62 of the law. 



62 FORMS 139. 140. Ml. 

139. Certificate to a Teacher from a Committee. 

The School Committee of the town of hereby 

certify that A. B. of is qualified to teach in 

the public schools in said town, according to the provisions of the 
acts relating to public schools. This certificate is to be valid with- 
in said town for one year from the date thereof, unless previously 
annulled by the School Committee or some superior authority. 

Date. In behalf of the School Committee of said town. 

Chairman, or Clerk. 



140. Certificate from an Inspector. 

I, A. B., County Inspector for the county of under 

the provisions of the act relating to public schools, hereby certify 
that C. D. of is qualified to teach in the public 

schools of said county, according to the provisions of said act. This 
certificate to be valid in and throughout the county, for the space 
of two years from the date thereof, and if signed by the Commis- 
sioner of Public Schools, to be valid throughout the State for three 
years, unless sooner annulled according to law. 

Date. A. B., County Inspector. 



141. Form for annulling a Certificate. 

To the Trustees of School Districts in the town of 
and all others it may concern. 

Whereas the School Committee of this town did on the 
day of A. D. 18 issue to of 

a certificate of qualificatioji as a teacher in the public 
schools : Now know ye, that upon further examination, investiga- 
tion and trial, the said has been found deficient 
and unqualified, {or the said has refused to conform 
to the regulations made by the Committee, as the case may be,) and 
Ave do therefore, by the authority given us by laAV, declare the said 
certificate to be annulled and void from this date, of which all per- 



FORMS 142. 63 

sons whose duty it is to employ teachers of public schools, are here- 
by requested to take notice. 

By order and in behalf of the School Committee of the town of 
Date. Chairman, or Clerk. 

Note. — If a complaint is made against a teacher, it will in most 
cases be proper for him to be notified before a decision on his case. 
And notice of the annulling should be immediately given to the 
trustees of the district, and generally, in order to prevent his being 
again employed. 

142. Memorandum of a Contract with a Teacher. 

This agreement, made this day of A. D. 

18 between A. B., &c. [trustee, school committee or agent ap- 
pointed by the school committee, as the case may Jc,] of 
on the one part, and X. Y. of on the other jDart, wit- 

nesses, that the said X. Y. hereby agrees to teach, for the compen- 
sation herein mentioned, a district school in and for said district, 
[at specify the building, if desired] for the term of 

months [_or weeks] commencing and 

ending and the said X. Y. further engages to exert 

the utmost of his ability in conducting said school, and improving 
the education and morals of the scholars ; to keep such registers 
and make such returns to the trustees and to the school committee, 
as may be required of him, and in all respects to conform to all 
such regulations for the government of said school, as may be made 
by the school committee of said town, and to the provisions of the 
laws regulating public schools. And in case the certificate of qual- 
ification of said X. Y. should be annulled, or if he shall not keep 
the register and make return, as aforesaid, or shovdd violate such 
regulations as aforesaid, this agreement from thenceforth shall be 
of no efifect. And the said [committee, trustee or agent,] agree to 
pay the said X. Y. therefor at the rate of per month, 

[or per week] to be paid at the end of each month [_or the term] 
out of the school money by law apportioned to said district, and 
the legal assessments which may be made, and in no event out of 
the private property of the contractor. And it is further agreed, 
that the possession of the school house and its appurtenances shall 



64 FORMS 143. 144. 

at all times be considered as being in the trustees [or school com- 
mittee or agent.] 

Witness our hands and seals hereto, the day first { x,. s. > 
above mentioned. ^-— v— ^ 

Sealed and executed in presence of I t. s. > 

143 Notice of the first meeting of a District. 

Notice is hereby given that there will be a meeting of the legal 
voters of School District No. in the town of 

at the school house in said district, [if no school house, then the 
school committee must appoint a place] at o'clock in the 

noon on the day of A, D. 185 , 

for the purpose of organizing said district, of electing officers for 
said district for the ensuing year, or for the purpose of considering 
the expediency of building [or repairing] the school house in said 
district, and laying a tax on the rateable property of the district 
therefor, [as the case may be] and of transacting any other business 
which may lawfully come before said meeting. 

By order and in behalf of the school committee of said town. 

Date. Chairman, or clerk 

Note. — See the provisions of the law as to notice. As to where 
the notice shall be posted up, see the law. All notices must be put 
up five days. And care should be taken to preserve evidence that 
the meeting was properly notified. 



144 Notice of Annual District Meeting. 

Notice is hereby given to the legal voters of School District No. 

of the town of that the annual meeting of 

said district, for the choice of oflicers and the transaction of any 

other business which may lawfully come before said meeting, will 

be held on the day of A. D. 18 

at o'clock in the noon, at 

( Trustee 
Date. < or 

( Trustees. 

Note, — A special meeting may be called by like form, except that 
the object of all special meetings must be stated. All notices must 
be posted up five days. As to where posted, see law. 



FOKMs 145, 146. 66 

145. Application to Trustees for a Special Meeting. 

To A. B. &c., Trustee or Trustees of School District No. 

The subscribers respectfully request that you would call a meeting 
of the legal voters of School District No. as soon as the 

legal notice therefor can conveniently be given, for the purpose of 
fixing the rate of tuition to be paid by the parents, guardians cr em- 
ployers of children attending school — of taking measures to es:ab- 
lish a school library — of considering the propriety of building, re- 
pairing or removing a district school house — or of raising money 
by a tax on the rateable estates of the district for the purpose of 
&c., [as the case may be.] 

Date. To be signed by at least five persons quali- 

fied to vote. 



146, Commencement of District Records. 

For first vieeti^ig. At a meeting of the legal voters of School 
District No. of the town of called by the school 

committee of said town, and notified according to law, [here in some 
cases it may be advisable to state particularly how the notice was 
given] — and held according to notice at the district school house, on 
the day of A. D. IS at o'clock in 

the noon. 

For Annual Meeting. At the annual meeting of the legal voters 
of School District No. of the town of notified 

by the trustees of said district according to law — [in some cases 
specify as above] and held according to notice at the district school 
house, [or as may be] on the day of A. D. 18 

at o'clock in the noon. 

For Special Meeting. At a meeting of the legal voters of school 
District No. of the town of held (in pursuance 

of an application to the trustees) at on 

and which meeting was duly notified by the trustees as the law re- 
quires. 

For Adjourned Meeting. At a meeting of the legal voters of 
School District No. of the town of held accord- 

ing to adjournment at on 

9 



66 FORMS 147. 148. 

147. Form for choosing Officers, 6fC. 

The following named persons were chosen to the offices set against 
their respective names, viz : 
A. B,, Moderator, 
C. D., Clerk, &c. 

Or instead of above, say — 

Voted, that A. B., be appointed Moderator of this meeting. 

Voted, that 0. D., be appointed Clerk, [or trust^e, treasurer, &c.J 
of this district, [in place of O. P. resigned, &c., if such be the case] 
to hold his office until the next annual meeting, and until his suc- 
cessor is appointed. 

The clerk then, in presence of the meeting took the oath in the 
form prescribed in § 62, of the Act regulating public schools, ad- 
ministered by E. F., Esq., Justice of the Peace, [or Public Notary, 
Moderator, Senator, Judge or Town Clerk.] 

It was moved by A. B., and seconded by C. D., that 
and after discussion, the question was put and the motion was re- 
jected, or adopted. 

Voted, that the Trustee [or trustees] of the district be authorized 
to fix such a rate of tuition or assessment, for the purposing of sup- 
porting the public school in this district, the ensuing year, as they 
may deem necessary, subject to the conditions of § 59 of the School 
Law. 



148. Vote of a District prescribing mode of notifying Meetings. 

Whereas each school district has by law the power to prescribe 
the manner of notifying all future district meetings, voted, that here- 
after all such meetings shall be notified by posting up the noti- 
ces signed by the proper officers and for the time specified by law, 
at the following places within this district, viz., on the sign post of 
the tavern, now occupied by A. B., on the door of the school house, 
court house, grist-mill, or in some conspicuous place in the shop or 
store now kept by A. B., &c., [as the di.strict may decide.] 

Note. Experience shows that notices put up in the inside of a 
house, in a bar-room, shop, &c., are very seldom attended to, espe- 
cially if they be in writing, not printed. A sign-post, a large tree, 
close by the travelled part of the road, the railing of a bridge, the 
outside of a door, &c., are the places where they would be most 



FORMS 149. 150. 151. 67 

likely to be seen. In some cases where there is a mill, store, &c., 
out of the district, to which the people of the district often resort, it 
would be well to put up a notice there, in addition to the notices 
within the district. 

But the power to prescriba the mode of notice does not authorize 
a district to dispense with notice, or to prescribe a less number of 
da3''s than five. 



149. Vote of District to devolve care of School on School Committee. 
Voted, (if the school committee of this town consent thereto and 
accept thereof) that all the powers and duties of this district, and 
the trustees thereof, relating to keeping public schools in this dis- 
trict, be, and they are hereby devolved on said school committee, 
until this district shall choose a new trustee or trustees, or shall oth- 
erwise legally direct. 

Note. A copy of this vote, with a proper heading, " at a meet- 
ing of, &c.," attested by the clerk, should be furnished to the com- 
mittee. 



150. Vote of District to build School House. 
Voted, that a school house be erected at or upon for 

the use of the public schools in this district, and that 
be a committee to cause the same t ) be erected, the said committee 
first procur'ng the plans and specifications for the building, to be ap- 
proved by the Commissioner of Public Schools, or by the committee 
of the town, according to law, and that the said shall 

have full power, in the name and behalf of the district, to sign, 
seal and execute any contracts which may be necessary to carry out 
this vote, to superintend the execution of said contracts, and to do 
any other matter or thing which may be necessary to carry out this 
vote. 

Note. The location, (unless before made) must be made by the 
school committee. 



151. Form of a Contract to build School House. 
Articles of agreement made and executed on the day 

of A. D. 18 between A. B., of on 

the one part, and School District No. of the town of 

county of State of on the other 

part. 



eS FORM 151. 

The said A. B., for himself, his heirs, executors and administra- 
tors, doth hereby covenant and agree with the School District and 
their assigns, that he, the said A. B., his heirs, executors and ad- 
ministrators, for the considerations herein expressed, sliall, and will, 
within the space of months from the date hereof, erect, 

build and completely cover over and finish, upon — [here describe 
the lot] and upon such spot in said lot as said School District, or 
their proper officers may direct, a house, out-buiWings and fences, 
for tiie purpose of a district school house and appendages, according 
to plans, elevation and specifications more particularly expressed in 
a schedule hereto attached and signed by said parlies, and which is 
hereby made part and parcel of this agreement ; and also shall and 
will perform and execute all the works mentioned in the .said sched- 
ule, and in the manner therein mentioned, and within the time 
aforesaid ; and also "shall and will furnish and provide at his own 
charge, good and sufficient materials of the sorts and quality ex- 
pressed in said schedule, and all such other materials as may be 
necessary for the erecting and fully completing the house, out-houses 
and fences aforesaid, according to the plans and specifications afore- 
said. 

And it is further agreed between said parties, that if the said A. 
B., his heirs, executors or adrii'nistrators, shall not within the space 
of time above mentioned, finish and complete all said works as 
aforesaid, then said School District, or their agent, may go on and 
complete said works, at the cost and charge of the said A. B., his 
heirs, executors and administrators, and may deduct the same from 
the compensation herein agreed to be paid for said buildings and 
works ; and the said A. B., his heirs, executors and administrators, 
shall also be liable for any other damages incurred by said district 
by said failure, and shall also be liable to said district for any dam- 
ages incurred by any other unreasonable delay in completing the 
works aforesaid. 

And the said School District doth hereby covenant and agree v/ith 
the said A. B., his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, that 
upon the completion of said works as aforesaid, the said School 
District shall and will pay to the said A. B., his executors, adminis- 
trators or assigns, on or before the day of 



FORM 151. 69 

A. D. 18 the sum of dollars, as full compensation 

for his services in building and completing said works. 

And it is further agreed, that if said School District or their 
agents shall direct any more work to be done upon or around said 
buildings than is herein before agreed, the said district shall pay 
the expense thereof in addition to the compensation aforesaid. 
And if said district, or their agents, shall direct to omit or diminish 
any part of the wor'k herein before agreed to be done and expressed 
in said schedule, then there shall be deducted from said compensa- 
tion, a reasonable sum, according to the proportion said work omit- 
ted may bear to the work herein first agreed to be done. And said 
district, or their proper agents, shall have a right io direct any ad- 
ditions or omissions as aforesaid, and the party of the other part 
shall be bound to comply with and perform the said directions. 

[^Clause to refer to aroitration.'\ 

And lastly, it is hereby agreed between the parties aforesaid, that 
if any dispute shall happen between the said district or its agents, 
and the said A. B., his heirs, executors, administrators or assigns, 
in relation to the buildings herein agreed to be erected, work to be 
done, the payment of the money, or concerning the value and ex- 
pense of any work directed to be added or omitted as herein before 
mentioned, or concerning any other matter or thing whatever, re- 
lating to the construction of this agreement, or the amount of any 
damages claimed by either party, under its provisions, or for any 
alleged violation thereof, then in such case such dispute shall, up- 
on the demand of either party, be left to the award and determina- 
tion of three indifferent persons, one to be appointed in writing by 
each of said parties, immediately thereafter, and a third to be ap- 
pointed in writing by the two persons so first named. And the 
said parties hereby covenant and agree with each other, that they 
will severally abide by, perform and keep the award and determin- 
ation of the said three persons, or any two of them, touching said 
disputes, provided said award be made under the hands and seals 
of said arbitrators, or any two of them, within from 

the time of said reference. 



70 FORM 152. 

In testimony whereof, the said A. B. hatli hereto set his hand 
and seal, and said district have hereto affixed their seal, by the 
hands of duly authorized for that purpose, 

who hath [or have] hereto also set their own hands. 
Sealed and delivered in presence of 



A. B. 

Names of committee or agents. 



1^1 



Note. — If the district wishes a surety for the performance of the 
contract of A. 15., it may be taken by a bond, conditioned for the 
performance by A. B. of the covenants and agreements in an instru- 
ment dated [and then briefly describe it.] 

152 . Vote of District to Tax. 

At the annual meeting of the legal voters of School District No* 
of the town of held at 

on according to legal notice issued and signed by 

and posted up at for the five days 

previous required be law — [or, at a special meeting of, &c. called by 
&c.] 

Whereas, this district has voted to build a school-house in and for 
said district — [or to repair the district school-house,] Voted, that for 
the purpose of defraying the expense thereof, a tax of the sum of 
dollars be assessed upon, levied and col- 
lected from the rateable property in this district, in manner provided 
bylaw, the school committee of the town having approved of the 
amount of tax before mentioned for the purpose aforesaid, and that 
the assessment be made according to the estimate, apportionment 
and value affixed to said rateable property in the last assessment and 
tax bill made out by the town assessors — [or according to the esti- 
mate, apportionment and value which shall be affixed to said ratea- 
ble estates in the assessment and tax bill of this town which shall 
next be completed after the date of this A^ote.] 

Note. In case of laying a tax, it is important that the notice of 
the meeting should be legally given, and that evidence of the notice 
should be preserved. 



FORM 152. 71 

All taxes must be voted and collected according to the present 
school act, all the former town and local acts being repealed. 

On laving a tax, or on any question relating to the expenditure of 
money, those only are entitled to vote who shall have paid or are lia- 
ble to pay taxes. (§ 32.) 

If the district vote to have their tax assessed according to the last 
town valuation, the trustee or trustees will immediately proceed to 
make out the tax bill accordingly. If there are any comj)laints of 
wrong valuation, it would be well for the district to postpone the tax 
until the next town assessment is completed, to give the parties an 
opportunity to be heard before the town assessors. 

If any property within the district is assessed to any person to- 
gether with property out of the district, so that there is no separate 
valuation of that portion which may lie within the district lines, and 
in the other cases referred to in § 45, the trustees should apply in 
writing to one or more of the town assessors, living out of the dis- 
trict, stating the names of the parties so situated, and the assessor 
will immediately issue a notice, and at the expiration of the ten days 
proceed to decide and apportion the valuation. The assessor should 
certify the facts upon the tax bill when made out. As the assessor 
is called upon to act in these cases so'ely upon business of the dis- 
trict, his fees should be paid by the district. The trustee should see 
that the assessor has taken his engagement before he acts in the 
case. 

Persons must be taxed for personal property according to their 
residence when the assessment is mide. The general rule as to tax- 
ation is that personal property shall be taxed to the owner where he 
resides and real estate where it lies. A few exceptions from this 
rule made by Statute are hereafter referred to. 

If any property has changed owners since the last town valuation, 
it of course must be assessed to the actual owners at the time the 
school-tax bill is made out. This is the reasonable construction of 
the law. 

'J'he following is an abstract of the existing tax laws of the State ; 
but a collector before proceeding to act, should always enquire if they 
have been altered or amended : 

In assessing a tax, real and personal estate must be valued sepa- 
rately, and put in separate columns, and the assessors must dis- 
tinguish those who give in a list. Digest, page 427, ^ 7. They may 
assess it either to the owner or occupant. Digest, page 426, ^ 6. It 
should not be assessed against a person deceased. If the last town 
assessment is defective in any legal requisites, the district may vote 
to go by the next assessment, and in the mean time endeavor to 
have them remedied. 

Meeting-houses, school-houses, academies and colleges, the land 
on which they stand, and burial-grounds, are exempted from taxa- 
tion. Digest, p. 431, §27. Buildings on leased land are to be 
deemed real estate, p. 432, § 34. The custom-houses in Newport 
and Providence are exempt. Digest, p. 64. No poll tax can be laid 



72 FORM 152. 

for any purpose, p. 297, s^S. It has been decided in Massachusetts, 
that a person residing on lond ceded to the United States, and where 
the State has only reserved a right of serving process, is not taxable. 
8 Mass. Rep. 72—1 Metcalf Rep. 6S0. Machinery in cotton and 
woolen factories is to be taxed in the towns where located, in the 
same manner as if the owner resided there. Digest, p. 432, '^32, 
and see also Digest, p. 26], § 1. 

Personal property in trust, the income of Vv-hich is to be paid by 
some other person, must be assessed to the trustee in the town where 
such other person resides, if in the State, but if yuch other person 
lives out of the State, then it is to be taxed where the trustee, exe- 
cutor, &c. resides. Digest, p. 432, ^ 31. 

Personal property in the hands of executors, guardians, &c. is to be 
taxed to them in the town where the deceased dwelt or the ward re- 
sides. Pamphlet Laws, p. 744, ^8, 

Collection of Taxes. The mode of distraining and selling personal 
property is pointed out in Digest, p. 115, ^ 9, and in Pamphlet Laws, 
page 744, ^ 6. The mode of notifying and selling land for taxes is 
prescribed by Digest, p. 430, ^ 22, and Pamphlet Laws, p. 745, 9 7. 
If he find no real or personal estate, he may commit the body. Di- 
gest, p. 427, ^ 10. If a person is taxed for more than one parcel of 
land, the whole tax may be collected out of any one parcel. Digest, 
p. 432, ^ 35. If real estate is assessed to the tenant, the tenant's 
own real ar.d personal estate is liable to be taken for the tax, and if 
that cannot be found, the land in his occupation is liable. Digest, p. 
426, §6. A tax warrant remains in force until the whole tax is col- 
lected. Digest, p. 431, <^ 24. The collector's fees are to be paid 
out of the district treasury, and will be five percent., unless he makes 
a different agreement with the district. Digest, p. 431, ^2b. If the 
collector dies or resigns, the new collector will have power to com- 
plete the collection. Digest, p. 304, § 20. The oath of the collector 
is admitted to prove a demand. Pamphlet LaAvs, p. 743, ^ 5. Any 
district may offer a deduction to those who pay in time, or impose a 
per centage on those who do not. Pamphlet Laws, p. 743, § 3. 

Any person committed to jail for a tax, rate or assessment, may 
swear out in the same manner as if he was committed for town taxes. 
And any person assessed for tuition may take the poor debtor's oath 
before being committed. School Act, ^01. 

The uniform, arms, ammunition and equipments of an officer or 
private in the militia, cannot be distrained for taxes. Digest, p. 
510, ^ 54. And household furniture, family stores, tools, &c. are in 
some cases protected from distress by Digest, p. 114, ^S. 

Owners of real estate or buildings sold for taxes, may redeem 
within six months' after sale, on paying to the purchaser the amount 
paid therefor, with twenty per cent, in addition. Digest, p. 423, §36. 

By the new school act, the trustees are to assess the taxes (except 
in the cases where an assessor is to be called on) and the trustees 
issue the warrants immediately to the collector. And the district 
may vote to have it collected by the town collector. ^ 37 and 42. 



FORMS 15;:]. \'')i. 73 

Any person neglecting to appear before the assessorafter notice given, 
has no remedy. ^ 45. Any tax or assessment not appealed from 
cannot be questioned in court afterwards. ^ 65. Provision is made 
for correcting errors and reassessing a tax. ^ 47. As to cases of 
persons affected by a change of boundaries of a district, see ^ 48. 

See Tax in the Index. 



153. Fo7'7)i of a Tax Bill. 
Assessment of the taxes upon the rateable estates in School Dis- 
trict No. of the town, &:,c. made by the trustees thereof, ac- 
cording to law, this day of A. D. 18 for the 
purpose of raising the sum of dollars, according to a 
vote of said district, passed on the day of A. D. 18 



Names. Real. I Personal. 



Total. 



Tax. 



Note. — The trustees should sign the tax bill. If the town as- 
sessors are applied to, it would be well to have them make their 
certificate at the foot of the tax bill, and sign it. 



154. District Treasurer'' s Bond. 

Know all men, that we, A. B. of county of 

and State of Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations, as principal, 
and C. D. of County of and State afore- 

said, as surety, [surety or sureties to the satisfaction of the district] 
are firmly held and bound unto the school district, No. of 

the town of and State aforesaid, in the full sum of 

[to be fixed by the district] to be paid to the said school district, or 
their assigns, to which we hereby jointly and severally bind our- 
selves, our several and respective heirs, executors and administra- 
tors. Sealed and dated the day of A. D. 18 

The condition of the foregoing obligation is, that whereas the 
said A. B. was, at a meeting of said school district, holden 
appointed treasurer of said district. Now, if he shall faithfully dis- 
charge the duties of said office during his continuance therein, and 
at the expiration of his office he or his executors or administrators 
shall exhibit a true account, if required, and deliver over to his suc- 
cessor, or the order of the district, all books, papers and moneys 
10 



74 FORM 155. 

belonging to the district, in his hands, then the above obigation is 
to be void, otherwise to remain in force. 



Executed in presence of 



mi 



Note. — It may be advisable for the treasurer to receive a formal 
certificate of appointment, or Avarrant, and then his engagement can 
be endorsed upon it. The above bond need not be given unless 
the district require it. See the form of oath and see § 124-125.. 



155. JDistrict Collector's Bond. 

Know all men, that we, A. B. of State of Rhode- 

Island and Providence Plantations, as principal, and C. D. of 
as surety, are firmly held and bound unto E. F. of 
Treasurer of School District No. in the town of 

and State aforesaid, in the full sum of [to be fixed by the district,, 
not exceeding double the tax] to be paid to said hi& 

successors in said office, or assigns, to which we jointly bind our- 
selves, our several and respective heirs, executors and adminis- 
trators. 

Sealed and dated this day of A. D. 18 

The condition of this obligation is, that whereas the said A. B. 
was, at a meeting of the legal voters of School District No. 
of the town of appointed collector of the rates and 

taxes assessed and to be assessed in, by, and upon said district, and 
the said A. B. has accepted said office ; and whereas said district 
on the day of A. D. 18 voted that a 

tax of be assessed on all the rateable property in 

said district, for the purpose of 

and said tax has been legally assessed, and the trustee of said dis- 
trict hath issued his warrant to said collector, with said rate bill 
annexed, for the collection of said tax, the receipt of which said 
rate bill and warrant is hereby acknowledged, and by which said 
warrant, said tax is to be collected and paid over, on or before the 



FORM 156. 75 

day of A. D. 18 Now if the sa'.d 

A. B. shall faithfully perform and discharge said office and trust, 
and with diligence and fidelity, levy and collect, as far as may be 
done, all the taxes that have been, or may be, so committed to him 
for collection, during his continuance in office, and he, his heirs, 
executors or administrators shall at all times on proper demand, 
render an account and pay over all the proceeds of such collections 
to the treasurer of said district, or his successors in office, according 
to the directions contained in the warrants for their collection, then 
this obligation is to be void, otherwise to remain in force. 

Executed in presence of < x. s. > 



Note. — The collector need not give bond, unless required. Sec 
§ 12u. 



15G. Warrant to collect a Tax. 

To A. B. Collector of Taxes of School District No. of the 

town of county of and State of Rhode- 

Island and Providence Plantations :■ — Gkeeting. 

You, having been appointed collector of taxes for said district, 
are hereby, in the name of said State, authorized and required to 
proceed and collect the tax specified in the annexed rate-bill, ac- 
cording to law, and to pay the same to the treasurer of the district, 
or to his successor in office ; and for so doing this shall be your 
sufficient warrant. 

Given under my hand and seal, at this 

day of A. D. 18 

C. D. 

Trustee of said School District. 

Note. — The collector should also receive from the di-strict clerk 
a warrant or formal certificate of election, which may be in substance 



76 FoiuM 157. 

according to the form No. 137. And then liis engagement can be 
certiiiecl upon the back. 

The district should approve the sum and sureties of the bond, and 
the clerk should certify the fact thereon. 



157. Form of Tax Collector's Deed. 

To all to whom these presents may come. I, A. B. of 
county of and State of Rhode-Island and Providence 

Plantations, Collector of Taxes of School District No. in said 

town, send Greeting : 

Whereas the said school district, at a meeting duly notified, and 
held on the day of A. D. 18 voted 

that a tax of dollars be assessed on the rateable pro- 

perty in said district, for the purpose of and 

said tax Avas afterwards, viz : on the day of 

A. D. 18 assessed according to law, and the tax-bill 

in due form delivered to me the said Collector, with a warrant at- 
tached thereto, signed by the trustees of said district, requiring me 
to proceed according to law and collect the said tax, and pay over 
the same to the treasurer of the district, or to his successor in office, 
and whereas C. D. of neglected to pay the tax asses- 

sed against him, and expressed in the said tax-bill, amounting to 
the sum of dollars, and in consequence thereof, I did 

on the day of levy said warrant upon 

a certain lot or tract of land belonging to said C. D. in said district, 
and did advertise the same for sale according to law, at two [or 
more] public places in said toAvn, for twenty days previous to sale, 
i[and also in the a newspaper printed in 

] and on the day of A. D. 

18 at o'clock in the noon, on the premises, being the 

time and place appointed, I proceeded to sell at auction so much of 
said land as was necessary to satisfy said tax and the incidental 
expenses, and E. F. of was the highest bidder 

therefor. 

Now, know yc, that in consideration of the sum of 
«lollurs, being the amount of said tax and expenses paid me by the 



FOEM 15S. 77 

said E. F., I the said Collector, do hereby, give, grant, bargain, 
sell and convey unto the said E. F., his heirs and assigns, all the 
right, title and interest which said C. D. had at the time of asses- 
sing said tax, in and to the following described tract of land, situ- 
ated in the district and town aforesaid, containing 

acres, [more or less] and 
bounded [describe] or however otherwise bounded, with all [build- 
ings] and appurtenances, being so much of said land of the said 
C. D. levied on as was necessary to satisfy said tax and expenses. 
To have and to hold the same to said E. F., his heirs and assigns 
forever, subject to the right of redemption provided by law. And 
I, the said A. B., for myself, my heirs, executors and administrators, 
do covenant with said E. F., his heirs and assigns, that I [have 
given bond and] have advertised said property as herein before 
stated, and have complied with the terms of the laws regulating the 
collecting of taxes, in respect to said sale, as herein before stated. 

Witness my hand and seal, this day of 

A. D. 18 

Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of 

A. B. I 1. s. J 

Town of, &.C. A. D. 18 Before 

m9 the subscriber, appeared A. B. Collector of taxes of school dis- 
trict No. of the town of and acknowledged 
the foregoing to be his free act and deed, and his hand and seal to 

be thereto affixed. 

O. P. 
Justice of the Peace, Notary Public or Town Clerk. 

Note. — In case of unimproved lands owned by persons out of 
the State, and also of improved lands where neither the owner nor 
occupant lives in the State, notice of the sale must be given twenty 
days in a newspaper. Digest p. 428 § 13. The purchaser under 
a tax collector's deed should see that the law has been complied 
with, and that his evidence of advertising is preserved. 



158. Form of a Rate-bill for Tuition, ^c. 
Rate-bill or assessment of rates for tuition against the parents, 
guardians and employers, sending children to the district school, or 



78 



FORi\I 159. 



persons attending school, in School District No. of the town of 

for the term of school commencing 
and ending made out this day of 

A. D. 18 towards the expenses of tuition, fuel and other ex- 
penses. 



Names of persons. 



No. sent. 



Time sent. 



Assessment. 



Signed A. B. ) 

C. D. } Trustees. 
E. F. ) 

Note. This rate-bill is to be collected in the same manner as the 
tax-bill, and the same forms will answer with a little variation to 
suit the case. Any poor person liable for tuition, may, if the district 
or trustees refuse to exempt him, take the poor debtor's oath, either 
before or after being committed to jail. 



159. Form of a Lease. 
These articles of agreement made this day of 

A. D. 18 witness that A. B. of doth hereby 

demise and let unto the School District No. of said town, 

(describe the room or building) with the appurtenances, in consider- 
ation of the rents and covenants by said school district herein men- 
tioned to be performed, to have and hold the same to said school dis- 
trict and their assigns for the space of year, commencing on 
the day of A. D. 18 and ending on 
the day of A. D. 18 for the purpose 
of keeping a district school therein, and holding such schools or lec- 
tures or other literary meetings, or meetings of business, as the 
school committee or the officers of said district may deem advisable 
for promoting the cause of education. And the said district agrees 
to pay therefor the sum of per annum as rent, and 
at that rate for any less time than a year, the payment to be made to 
the said A. B., his heirs or assigns, at his residence, on the last day 
of the year, [or on the last day of each year in the term,] without 
any notice or demand therefor [provisions about repairs, loss by fire, 
&c, mav be here inserted.] Witness the hand and seal of the said 



FORMS 160. ]6 1. 79 

A. B. and the seal of the said district hereto affixed by 
by said district duly authorized, the day and year first above men- 
tioned. 

Sealed and executed in presence of * 



L. s. 



160. Paicer of Attorney to take a Lease. 

Note. The District may authorize a person to execute this lease 
for them by a vote as follows : "Voted that the Trustees of the Dis- 
trict [or Treasurer] be and they are hereby fully empoweied to hire 
a building for the purpose of a school-house for the district, [here 
specify the building and fix the time and conditions or leave them at 
discretion] and to make and execute the necessary contracts therefor, 
and to seal, deliver and acknowledge the same in the name and be- 
half of the District." If the lease is for a year or less time, it may 
save trouble to take the lease in the name of the trustees themselves. 
If the above is to be acknowledged, see the form of acknowledgment 
to No. 163. 



161. Deed to a School District. 
Know all men that I, A. B. of in the State o 

Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in consideration of the 
sum of paid me by C. D. Treasurer of School District 

No. in the town of and State aforesaid, the receipt of 

which I acknowledge and am therewith fully satisfied and paid, \if a 
gift say in consideration of my desire to aid and assist in diffusing the 
benefits of a good common school education among the inhabitants 
of School District No. &c. as the grantor pleases] do hereby 

give, grant, enfeoff, convey and confirm unto said School District and 
their assigns, a certain lot of land situated in said town of 
[describe] or however otherwise bounded, with all the appurtenances 
and privileges thereto belonging, to have and hold the same forever 
to the said school district [and their assigns, but if there is a desire to 
prevent the lot ever being used for any other purpose, omit assigns 
and say, for the purpose of maintaining thereon a district school house 



80 FORM 161. 

and its appurtenances, for the benefit of the district school of said dis- 
trict, and for no other use or purpose whatever.] And I the said A. 
B. do hereby for myself, my heirs, executors aud administrators, cov- 
enant and engage to and with said school district [and their assigns] 
that the premises are free of all incumbrances, that I have good 
right to sell and convey as aforesaid, and that I, my heirs, executors 
and administrators shall and will forever warrant, secure and defend 
the premises to said school district [and their assigns, or to and for 
the purpose aforesaid,] against the lawful claims of all persons what- 
soever. And I, E. F. wife of the said A. B. for the consideration 
paid my said husband, hereby release unto said school district [and 
their assigns] all my right of dower in the premises. [If the premis- 
es are under mortgage a release may be here inserted.] And I, G. H. 
of in consideration of the sum of paid 

me by to my full satisfaction, do hereby give, 

grant, bargain, sell assign and convey unto said school district [and 
their assigns,] all the right, title and interest which I have in the 
premises by virtue of any mortgage deed thereof, [or of any other 
claim or title whatsoever.] In witness whereof we have hereto set 
our hands and seals this day of A. D. 18 

Signed, sealed and delivered, 
in presence of 






State of county of town of 

A. D. 18 This day personally appeared before me 

and acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be voluntary 

act and deed and hand and seal to be thereto affixed. 

Before me, O. P., Justice of the Peace, Notary Public or Town 
Clerk, {if executed in Rhode Island.) 

Note. ■ If the land belong to a married woman, her name should 
be inserted as one of the grantors, and the deed altered accordingly. 



FORMS 162. 163. 8 J 

She must acknowledge separately from her husband. Use the 
words of the law in the certificate of acknowledgment. See Digest, 
p. 258, § 10. 



162. Vote appointing an Attorney to sell Land belonging to the 

District. 

At a meeting of the legal voters of School District No. of 

the town of &bc., notified as the law requires, and 

held at on the day of A. D. 18 

Voted, That A. B. Treasurer of said School District, be and he 
is hereby appointed the agent and attorney of the district, to sell 
at his discretion, a certain lot of land, situated in and belonging to 
the district, containing bounded 

with the buildings and appurtenances, and with full power to affix 
the seal of the district to a deed or deeds conveying the same [with 
covenants of warranty or not, as the district may vote,] and in the 
name of the district to acknowledge and deliver the same, and to 
receive the purchase money, and give a full discharge therefor. 
A true copy of record : Witness, 

E. F., Clerk of said District. 



163. District Land Deed. 
Know all men, that the School District No. of the town 

of county of State of Rhode-Island 

and Providence Plantations, in consideration of the sum of 
paid to A. B. Treasurer of said district, to and for the use of said 
district, by M. N. of the receipt of which is hereby 

acknowledged, does hereby give, grant, bargain, sell and convey 
unto the said M. N., his heirs and assigns, all the right, title and 
interest of said School District in and to a lot of land situated in 
said district, containing bounded or how- 

aver otherwise bounded, with all buildings and appurtenances, be- 
ing the same lot con-s^eyed to said district by deed of H. I, To 
have and to hold the same to said M. N., his heirs and assigns, for- 
ever. In testimony whereof, the said School District have hereto 

ffixed their seal, bv the hands of said A. B. their Treasurer, duly 
'11 



82 FORMS 164. 16.'). 

appointed for that purpose, at a legal meeting of said district, and 
the said Treasurer hath hereunto affixed his own hand, this 
day of A. D. 18 

A. B. Treasurer, as aforesaid, , ^— -^— v , 

J L. s. J 
Signed and sealed in presence of '«— v^;- 

Acknowledgment. 
State of Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations, county of 
town of A. D. 18 The School 

District No. of said town, by A. B. their treasurer and attor- 

ney for that purpose, by vote of said district appointed, acknow- 
ledged the foregoing to be their voluntary act and deed, and tbeir 
seal to be thereto affixed ; and the said A. B. Treasurer and Attor- 
ney as aforesaid, also acknowledged his own hand affixed thereto, 
and that the same was the voluntary act and deed of himself and 
of the said district. 

Before me, P. Q., 

Justice of the Peace, or Notary Public, or Town Clerk, 

TsjoTE. — It will seldom, if ever, be advisable for a district to give 
anvthing more than a quit-claim deed. If they wish to insert any 
warranty, it would be best to consult a well informed attorney. 



164. Order for Money. 
To A. B. Town Treasurer of the town of 
Pay to C. D. or order, the sum of it being 

for keeping a district school in School District No. in thi.? 

town. 

Date. By order of the School Committee of the town. 

E. F. Chairman or Clerk. 

Note. It will be the safest course, in all cases, to let the money 

remain in the hands of the Town Treasurer, and to give orders for 
it no faster than it is actually expended. 



165. Notice of Appeal. 

To the School Committee of the town of 
[Trustees of School District No, in the town of 

Inspector, or as the case may ie.] 



loKiM 166. S3 

I hereby notify you, that in conformity with the provisions of the 
laws regulating public schools, I appeal to A. B. Commissioner of 
Public Schools, from [here specify the vote or decision of the com- 
mittee, trustees, district or inspector, which is complained of."] 

Date. Signed, 

CD. 

A copy of this notice should be immediately served upon the 
clerk of the committee, clerk of the district, or upon the trustee, 
trustees or inspector, who have done the act complained of. And 
a notice of the appeal should be immediately forwarded to the Com- 
missioner, which may be as follows : 

To A. B. Commissioner of Public Schools of the State of Rhode- 
Island and Providence Plantations. 

Whereas the school committee, [inspector, trustees, or school 
district No. of the town of &c.] did at a meet- 

ing on the day of A. D. 18 pass a 

vote — [here copy or insert the substance, as nearly as can be pro- 
cured.] I, the subscriber, according to law, do hereby appeal to 
you from said vote or decision, and claim that the same may be 
reversed. [Here state plainly and briefly the reasons.] 
Signed, 

The Commissioner will immediately appoint a time for hearing 
the case, and notify the parties thereof. If the nominal party, as 
often happens, be not the party interested, care should be taken to 
notify the latter as well as the former. 



166. Vote of district to establish a secondary School under § 50. 

Voted, That this district will unite with School District No. 
of this town — \_or in the adjoining town of ] in the 

establishment of a secondary school, according to the provisions of 
§ 50 of an Act to revise and amend the laws regulating Public 
Schools, passed June session, A. D. 1851, for the common benefit 
of both said districts ; provided said School District No= 



84 FORMS 167. 168. 

shall also give their consent thereto- — [within from this 

date]— and that the clerk of the district furnish a certified copy of 
this vote to said School District No. and also to the school 

committee that — [if said district consents] — they may take the nec- 
essary measures for establishing said school. 



167. Vote of school committee to form joint district under ^ 52. 

Voted, [the school committee of the town of concurring 

herewith] that a joint district be formed according to the provisions 
of the acts relating to public schools, to consist of school district 
No. of this town, and school district No. of said town 

of and that said districts shall constitute a joint district 

from the time that the school committee of said town of 
shall concur herewith — \or if they have already passed a similar 
vote say from and after the passage of this vote.] 

Voted further, that the chairman be authorized, in conjunction 
with the school committee of said town of to cause 

notices to be posted up — [in one or more places in each of the two 
districts — specify them] for the first meeting of said joint district, 
to be held at on at o'clock in the 

noon [or to be held at such time and place as he may agree 
upon with the school committee of said town of ] and 

hat the clerk of the committee furnish a certified copy of this vote 
to the school committee of the said town of 

j^oTE. — A notice signed by the chairman of each committee 
should be posted up in one or more places in each district. After 
trustees are elected, they will notify the subsequent meetings. 



168. Vote prescribing form of District Seal. 

Voted, That the clerk of the district cause to be made a seal for 
the use of the district, with the figure of engraven 

thereon, and the letters or inscription around its 

margin, and that the same is hereby adopted, and declared to be ' 
the common seal of this corporation, and shall be kept by the clerk 
nf the district. 



roRMS 169. 170. 85 

Note. — Every town, district, or other corporation, shall have a 
common seal, with a suitable device ; but if they have no regular 
seal, any seal that may be affixed to any instrument by their au- 
thority, for instance a piece of paper attached by a wafer, will be 
considered to be their seal. 



169. Appointment of a County Inspector. 

To A. B. of in the county of 

Know all men, that I, C. D. Commissioner of Public Schools of 
the State of Ehode-Island and Providence Plantations, do by the 
authority vested in me by law, appoint you the said A. B. to be 
County Inspector of the Public Schools in the county of 
for the year ending on the first Tuesday of May, A. D. 18 
and you are therefore hereby authorized to examine teachers, and 
give them the certificates of qualification prescribed by law; to visit 
and inspect the public schools in said county, and to report their 
state and condition to the Commissioner, under such instructions 
as may from time to time be prescribed by said Commissioner, and 
generally to do and perform all acts which a County Inspector may 
do and perform under the provisions of the laws relating to public 
schools. 

Given under my hand, at this day 

of A. D. 18 

C. D. 
Commissioner of Public Schools. 



] 70. Form of District Return prescribed by the Commissioner of 

Public Schools. 

• 

The following is the form prescribed by the late Commissioner, 
Mr. Barnard, and is the one now used. The present Commis- 
sioner has been several times urged to prepare a shorter form. But 
on the best consideration he has been able to give the subject, he 
is satisfied that it is most for the good of the schools to retain the 
existing form. A trustee, having all this information himself, may 
•consider it trifling ; but it is all of importajice to the school com- 



66 FOHM 170. 

imittes. Especially should exact returns of the attendance, studies 
and books be insisted on. By these the committee can ascertain 
whether improper books are used, and whether the teacher exercises 
proper judgment as to the studies and classification of his scholars. 
The trustee need have no trouble with it, if he will only require 
the teacher to fill it out, and there is nothing in the return but 
what the teacher can easily answer. I have seen instances of re- 
turns filled out by teachers in a manner and temper highly discred- 
itable to them. No return should be allowed by a trustee or com- 
mittee, unless the questions are answered in a respectful manner. 

Note. — When there are separate schools kept at difi'erent times 
In the year, a separate return is to be made for each school, but the 
items included in the divisions I., II., VIII. and IX., need not be 
returned but once a year. 

RETURN respecting the Public Schools in District No. 
in Town of for Term commencing 

1S5 and ending 185 

I.— NAME, SIZE, POPULATION AND PECUNIARY RESOURCES 
OF THE DISTRICT. 

Local or neighborhood name, 

Territorial extent or size of district, length breadth 

Number oi families residing in district, 

" engaged in agriculture, 
" " trade or shop-keeping, 

" " mechanic shops, 

" " factories or mills, 

" " navigation, 

clergymen, lawyers, physicians, 

inhabitants of all ages, Do. under 16 years. 

Do. between 5 and 15, 
" registered voters. Do. tax-paying voters, 

Amount of State and Town money actually expended during the 
present year, 
" of valuation of taxable property in the district, 



> 



FORM 1711. 87 

Amount ot' money raised by lax during the present year, on pro- ^ 
party of district, to purchase or build school hdusc, 
site, 6lc. 

to repair or furnish old house, 
to purchase maps, globes and other apparatus, 
to purchase library, 
for wages of teachers, 

for teachers' board, for fuel, J 

Aggregate amount of money raised hy tax on the property of the 

district, during the year, for all purposes. 
Aggregate amount raised by rate, or tuition-bill, for teacher's wages 

and board, fuel, and other purposes, during the year. 
Amount given by individuals for any purpose during the year, 
Amount received from income of any land or fund, during the year, 
Aggregate amount of money expended for all purposes for the scliool 
year, ending May 

II.— SCHOOL HOUSE. 

Place where the School is kept — in school house, 

in building built or used for other purposes. 
Date when the school house was built, first cost, 

When last thoroughly repaired, and at what expense, 

By whom now owned, by district, town, proprietors, 

Furnished with a suitable play ground and out building. 

Material and condition of the building — material condition, 

(good, ordinary, bad) 
Provided with scraper, mat, water-pail and cup, sink, 

basin and towel, 

" old broom, for feet, pegs, hooks or shelves, 

broom and dust-biush. 
No, of school rooms, and size of each, length, width, height, 
Arrangements for desks, 
" seats, 

" ventilation, 

" warming. 

Provided with wood-shed, or shelter for fuel, 

" shovel and tongs, &c. thermometer, 



88 FOKM 170. 

Provided with bell, witli globe, with clock, hand-bell for teacher. 
Do. ' with blackboard, the size (if any) Do. with map of R. Island) 
Do. with outline maps Do. with geometrical solids. 

III.— ATTENDANCE, LENGTH OF SCHOOL TERM. 

No. of families who sent children to the School — ^belonging to district^ 
Do. " " " from out of the do. 

No. of scholars, of all ages, registered during term — belonging to 

district, boys girls. 

No. of scholars of all ages, from out of the district, boys, ghrls. 

No. of scholars over 15 years of age, boys, girls, 

Do. under 5 years, boys, girls. 

Length of school-term in half days, weeks, (10 half days) 

months, (4 ioeeks) 
No. of scholars who attended three foxirtlis of the term and more. 

Do. " one half. 

Do. " less than one half 

Do. " less than one fourth. 

Average daily attendance of the School during the term, 
No. of scholars belonging to the district who attended school in 

other districts or towns, 
No. of children over 4 and under 16 years of age, who attended no 

school, public or private, during the term, 

IV.— STUDIES AND CLASSES. 

No. of scholars who commenced this term in Alphabet, 

Do. who attended during the whole term to Primer or 
Spelling-Book, exclusively. 

No. of classes in, 
No. of scholars in Reading, {not including scholars in Spelling-Book) 

No. of classes in, 
No. of scholars in Geography, No. of classes in. 

No. who draw maps. 

No. of scholars in Grammar, No. of classes in, 

No. of scholars in History of the U. States, No. of classes in. 
No. of scholars in General History, No. of classes in, 



FonM 170. 



69 



No. of classes in, 
No. of classes in, 
No. of classes in, 
No. of classes in, 
No. of classes in, 
No. of classes in. 
No. of classes in, 
No. of classes in, 
No. of classes in. 
Do. composition. 



No. of scholars in Etymology, or analysis of language. 

No. of classes in, 

No. of scholars in Definitions, 

No. of scholars in Mental Arithmetic, 

No. of scholars in Written Arithmetic, 

No. of scholars attending to Penmanship, 

No. of scholars in Book-Keeping, 

No. of scholars in Algebra, 

No. of scholars in Geometry, 

No. of scholars in Natural Philosophy, 

No. of scholars in Physiology, 

No. of scholars attending to Drawing, 

Do. " Declamation, 

Do. who engage in Vocal Music, 

No. of scholars in other studies, specifying the same, 

No. of scholars not provided with all books necessary in the studies 
pursued by them, 

No. of scholars not provided Avith a slate, 
v.— BOOKS. 

Name of each kind of Text-Book used in the school, and the num- 
ber of copies of each kind. 

Dictionary, 

Primer, 

Spelling-Book, 

Reading, 

Penmanship and Book-Keeping, 

Mental Arithmetic, 

Written Arithmetic, 

Geography, 

Grammar, 

History, 

Other studies. 



VI.— TEACHER. 



Name and age of teacher, 

Place [town and State] of birth. 

Do, do. do. residence, 

12 



90 roKM 170. 

Date of certificate, and by whom signed, 

No. of terms, or years, of experience as a teacher in any school, 

Do. do in this school before the present term. 

Compensation per month, in money, 
Aggregate amount in money for term, 
Is the teacher boarded by the district, in addition to his money 

wages ? Or does he board himself out of his wages ? 
Arrangement for board — board round At one place, 

If boarded in district, the amount paid, in money, for board. 

Vn.— SUPERVISION, OR VISITATION. 

No. of visits from Trustees, From Town Committee, 

Do. from County Inspector, 

from Parents and others, [not school officers,] 

VIII.— PRIVATE SCHOOLS, LYCEUMS, &c. 

No. and grade of Private or Select Schools kept in the district dur- 
ing the term. 
No. of pupils attending, Rate of Tuition per term, 

Name of any Lyceum, Debating Society, or Library, with date of 
establishment, number of members, books, &c. 

IX.— NAMES OF OFFICERS OF THE DISTRICT. 

Trustees, 
Clerk, 
Treasurer, 
Collector, 

To the School Committee of the Town of 

We, the Trustees of School District No. in said town, in 

conformity with the " Act to revise and amend the laws regulating 
Public Schools," do certify that the foregoing form of District Re- 
turn, prescribed by the Commissioner of Public Schools, has been 
filled up Avith due diligence and accuracy ; and that the money de- 
signated " teachers' money," received from the Treasurer of the 
town for the year previous to the first day of May, 185 , was 



FOKM 171. 91 

applied to the wages of teachers, and for no other purpose whatever. 

Dated at 185 

1 

y Trustees. 



171. Specimens of Rules and Regulatio7is to be adopted by School 
Committees for the governmeoit of Public Schools. 

We give helow, 1st, the rules adopted by the School Committee 

of Smithfield, A. D. 1846 ; 2nd, the rules adopted in North and South 

Kingstown, and some other towns ; 3d, extracts from the School 

Regulations of the town of Portsmouth. See 'i>97 of the Remarks. 

I. 

Regulations for the government of the Public Schools in the toiun of 

Smithfield. 

PREAMBLE. 

Teachers and candidates for teachers in the Public Schools, previ- 
ous to entering upon their engagements, should consider it of great 
importance to become familiar with some of the most approved plans 
of teaching and governing a school ; and should endeavor, as far as 
possible, to possess themselves of definite ideas in regard to the 
solemn duties and responsibilities of their profession. 

And in order to aid and assist them in establishing a uniform and 
systematic course of instruction and discipline, the Committee would 
respectfully submit the following 

RULES. 

1. All the teachers of the public schools are required to be at their 
respective school-rooms and to ring the bell from ten to fifteen min- 
utes before the time of commencing the school in the morning and 
in the afternoon, and they shall require the pupils as they enter the 
room to be seated in an orderly manner, and prepare for study. 

2. The bell shall again be struck or the hand-bell rung, precisely 
at the specified time for beginning the school, as a signal for com- 



92 lOKM 171. 

mencing the exercises — previous to whicli all the scholars are ex- 
pected to be present and to have made all needful preparations for 
carrying on the business of the school, in order to prevent all unne- 
cessary movement after the exercises commence. 

3. All the public schools shall be opened in the morning by read- 
ing a portion of the Scriptures, which may be done by the teacher 
alone, or in connection with the older pupils — the whole school being 
required at the same time to suspend all other subjects and to give 
proper and respectful attention ; and this exercise may be followed 
by prayer or not, at the discretion of the teacher. 

4. Every scholar who comes in after the second bell rings, must 
present a satisfactory excuse ; and all who cannot do so, shall be con- 
sidered delinquent and marked tardy on the teacher's register, sub- 
ject to examination by parents, trustees, and school committee. 

5. No teacher shall permit whispering or talking in school, or al- 
low the schokis to leave or change their seats, or to have communi 
cation with each other in school time, without permission, but shall 
strive to maintain that good order and thorough discipline which are 
absolutely essential to the welfare of the school. 

6. It shall be the duty of teachers to guard the conduct of scholars, 
not only in the hours of school, but at recess, and on their way to and 
from school, and to extend at all times a watchful care over their 
morals and mariners, endeavoring to inculcate those virtues which 
lay a sure foundation for future usefulness and happiness. 

7. The government and discipline of the school should be of a mild 
and parental character. The teacher should use his best exertions 
to bring scholars to obedience and a sense of duty, by mild measures 
and kind influences : and in cases where corporal punishment seems 
absolutely necessary, it should be inflicted with judgment and discre- 
tion, and in general not in presence of the school. 

8. Teachers should ever avoid those low, degrading and improper 
forms of punishment, such as tying up scholars' hands and feet, com- 
pelling them to hold a weight in their hands with their arms ex- 
tended, pinching, pulling and wringing their ears, cheeks and arms, 
and other similar modes, which are sometimes used, as the commit- 
tee are decidedly of the opinion that a judicious teacher will find 
other methods of governing more consistent and more effectual. 



FORM 171. 93 

9. In case of obstinate disobedience or wilful violation of order, a 
teacher may suspend a pupil from school for the time being, by in- 
forming the parents or guardians and school committee thereof, and 
re-admit him on satisfactory evidence of amendment ; or such pupils 
may, at the discretion of the teacher, be referred directly to the com- 
mittee, to be dealt with as their judgment and legal authority shall 
lictate. 

10. The teachers shall classify the pupils of their respective schools 
according to their age a-'.d attainments, irrespective of rank or wealth, 
md shall assign them such lessons as seem best adapted to their ca- 
lacities, and render them all possible aid and assistance, without dis- 
inctionand without partiality. 

11. For the purpose of preserving that system and order so essen- 
tial to a well regulated school, and securing to the pupils a thorough 
knowledge of the subjects pursued, there should be a specified time 
for every exercise and a certain portion of time devoted to it, and in 
no case should any one recitation interfere with the time appropriat- 
ed to another; and whatever the exercise may be, it should receive, 
for the time, the immediate and, as far as practicable, the exclusive 
attention of the teacher, 

12. No child under the age of four years shall be received as a 
scholar in a district school, unless there be an assistant teacher or a 
primary department. 

13. Exercises in declamation aiad composition shall be practiced 
)y the older and more advanced pupils, at the judgment of the 
sacher, under the advice of the committee. 

14. Singing may be encouraged, and, as far as practicable, taught 
in all the schools, not only for its direct intellectual and moral uses, 
but as a healthy exercise of the lungs, an agreeable recreation to the 
pupils, and an auxiliary in good government. 

15. Needle-work shall be allowed in the primary schools. 

16. The teacher may employ the older scholars, under his direc- 
tion, in the management of the school when it can be done without 
disadvantage to them or to the good order of the school. 

17. No teacher shall use or encourage the use of an}'' other books 
than those recommended by the committcp, without their approbation. 

18. 'J'hcre shall be a recess of at least fifteen minutes in the middle 



94 FOFwM 171. 

of every half day ; but the primary schools may have a recess of ten 
minutes every hour ; at the discretion of the teacher. 

19. It shall be the duty of teachers to see that fires are made in 
cold weather, in their respective school rooms, at a seasonable hour 
to render them warm and comfortable by school time ; to take care 
that their rooms are properly swept and dusted ; and that a due re- 
gard to neatness and order is observed, both m and around the sohool 
house. 

20. As pure air of a proper temperature is indispensable to health 
and comfort, teachers cannot be too careful in giving attention to 
these things. If the room has no ventilator, the doors and windows 
should be opened before and after school, to permit a free and health- 
ful circulation of air ; and the temperature should be regulated by a 
thermometer suspended five or six feet from the floor, in such a po- 
sition as to indicate as near as possible the average temperature, and 
should be kept at about 65 degrees Fahrenheit. 

21. The teachers shall take care that the school houses, tables* 
desks, and apparatus in the same, and all the public property en- 
trusted to their charge, be not cut, scratched, marked, or injured or 
defaced in any manner whatever. And it shall be the duty of the 
teachers to give prompt notice to one or more of the trustees, of any 
repairs that may be needed. 

22. Every teacher shall keep a record of all the recitations of every 
class ; and of the manner in which every member of the class shall 
acquit himself in his recitation — using figures or otherwise to mark 
degrees of merit. Also, every act of disobedience or violation of or- 
der, shall be noted ; and the registers shall be at all times subject to 
the inspection of parents, trustees, and the school committee. 

23. The following shall be the construction of teachers' engage- 
ments, unless otherwise specified in the written contract. They 
shall teach six hours every day, including the recess, and shall divide 
the day into two sessions, with at least one hour intermission. They 
shall teach every day in the week, except Saturday and Sunday, 
and four weeks for a month ; and they may dismiss the school on 
the 4th of July, on Christmas, and on days of public fast and thanks- 
giving, and one day out of every month for the purpose of attending 
a Teacher's Institute, or for vijiting schools. 



voRM 171. 95 

PUPILS. 

24. Good morals being of the first importance, and essential to 
their progress in useful knowledge, the pupils are strictly enjoined to 
avoid all vulgarity and profanity, falsehood and deceit, aud every 
wicked and disgraceful practice ; to conduct themselves in a sober, 
orderly and decent manner, both in and out of school ; to be diligent 
and attentive to their studies ; to treat each other politely and kind- 
ly in all their intercourse; to respect and obey all orders of their 
teachers in relation to their conduct and studies, and to be punctual 
and constant in their daily attendance. 

25. Every pupil who shall, accidentalhj or otherwise, injure any 
school property, whether fences, gates, trees or shrubs, or any build- 
ing or any part thereof; or break any window glass, or injure or 
destroy any instrument, apparatus or furniture belonging to the 
school, shall be liable to pay all damages. 

26. Every pupil who shall any where, on or around the school 
premises, use or write any profane or unchaste language, or shall 
draw any obscene pictures or representations, or cut, mark, or other- 
wise intentionally deface any school furniture or buildings, or any 
property whatsoever belonging to the school estate, shall be punished 
in proportion to the nature and extent of the offence, and shall be 
liable to the action of the civil law. 

27. No scholar of either sex shall be permitted to enter any part 
of the yard or buildings appropriated to the other, without the teach- 
er's permission. 

28. Smoking and chewing tobacco in the school house or upon the 
school premises, are strictly prohibited. 

29. The scholars shall pass through the streets on their way to 
and from school in an orderly and becoming manner ; shall clean 
the mud and dirt from their feet on entering the school room ; and 
take their seats in a quiet and respectful manner, as soon as conve- 
nient after the first bell rings ; and shall take proper care that their 
books, desks, and the floor around them, are kept clean and in good 
order. 

30. It is expected that all the scholars who enjoy the advantages 
of public schools, will give proper attention to the cleanliness of their 
persons, and the neatness and decency of their clothes — not only for 



96 For.M 171. 

the moral effect of the habit of neatness and order, but that the pu- 
pils may be at all times prepared, both in conduct and external ap- 
pearance — to receive their friends and visitors in a respectable man- 
ner ; and to render the school room pleasant, comfortable and happy 
for teachers and scholars. 

31. No scholar should try to hide the misconduct of his school- 
fellows or screen them from justice ; but it shall be the duty of every 
pupil who knows of any bad conduct, or violation of order, committed 
without the knowledge of the instructor, to the di.^grace and injury of 
the school, to inform the teacher thereof, and to do all in his power to 
discourage and discountenance improper behavior in others, and to as- 
sist the teacher in restoring good order and sustaining the reputation 
of the school. 

32. Every teacher shall keep a copy of these rules and regulations 
p03ted up in the school room, and shall cause the same to be read 
aloud in school at least once in every month ; and in case of any 
difficulty in carrying out these regulations, or in the government and 
discipline of the school, it shall be the duty of the teacher to apply 
immediately to the committee for advice and direction. 

IP. 

Regulations for government of Public Schools, adopted in North a?id 
South Kingstown, SfC. 

TEACHERS, 

1. Every person, before being employed to teach in any school 
supported wholly or in part by public money, shall be found qualified 
according to law ; and for any immoral or grossly improper conduct, 
or, for refusing to comply with the regulations of the School Com- 
mittee, or the requests of the Commissioner of Public Schools, shall 
be dismissed. 

2. The teachers are expected to make the teaching of their school 
the main business, to give to it their best thoughts and energies, and 
to devote themselves to it to the exclusion of all other regular em- 
ployment. And it is recommended that frequent meetings of the 
teachers be held for the purpose of personal improvement and of giv- 
ing efficiency to the system of instruction, which meetings will be 
attended once a month by a committee of the Board. 

3. It shall be the duty of the teachers to fill all blanks, and make 



FORM 171. 97 

such returns as may be required of them by law and by the school 
committee or trustees ; and to give notice to the school committee, of 
the time when the term will begin and close, so that the school may 
be visited according to law, and any teacher who shall for the space 
of weeks neglect to give notice as aforesaid, shall forfeit his pay 
for that time, unless he renders a satisfactory excuse. 

4. In cases of difficulty in the discharge of their official duties, or 
when they may desire any temporary indulgence, the teachers shall 
apply to the trustees or committee for advice and direction. 

5. The teachers are required to be at tlieir respective school 
houses, at least fifteen minutes before the specified time for begin- 
ning the school in the morning and in the afternoon ; and to open 
their respective school rooms, for the reception of pupils, subject to 
all the rules of order for school hours, as soon as they enter the 
rooms. 

6. The teachers shall enroll the names of scholars as they enter 
the school — and cause all cases of absence and tardiness to be marked 
every morning and afternoon, and any withdrawal from school before 
the hour for closing, except in .case of sickness, or upon a request 
stated in writing or in person, by the parent or guardian, shall be 
regarded as an absence. 

7. As regularity and punctuality of attendance are indispensable to 
the success of a school, it is important to maintain the principle that 
necessity alone can justify absence. Sickness, domestic affliction, 
and absence from town are regarded as the only legitimate cause of 
absence. All other cases must be considered as in violation of rule, 
and deriving their only sanction from the private authority of a pa- 
rent or guardian. In every instance of absence, a written excuse or 
personal explanation shall be required of the parent, master, or guar- 
dian, on the return of the pupil to school. 

8. The teachers in each school shall put the pupils into separate 
classes according to their age and attainments ; and shall teach them 
such portions of the prescribed studies as in their judgment it shall 
be most suitable for each class to pursue ; and each scholar shall be 
finconad to the studies of his class, unless for good reasons an excep- 
tion be made by the teacher under the advice, or with the approba- 
tion of the committee. 

13 



98 roKM 171. 

9. It shall be the duty of the teachers to use their best endeavors 
to impress upon the minds of the youth committed to their care and 
instruction, the principles of piety, justice and a sacred regard to 
truth, love to their country, humanity and universal benevolence, 
sobriety, industry, frugality, chastity, moderation, temperance and 
those other virtues which are the ornament of human society, and 
the basis upon which a republican constitution is founded ; and they 
shall endeavor to lead their pupils, as their ages and capacities will 
allow, into a clear understanding of the tendency of these virtues to 
preserve and perfect a republican constitution, and secure the bles- 
sings of liberty, as well as to promote their own happiness ; and also 
to point out to them the evil tendency of the opposite vices. [From 
Laics of Massachusetts.] 

10. It is expected that the teachers will exercise a general inspec- 
tion over the conduct of the scholars, not only while in school, but 
also during their recess, while in the aisles and yards, and while 
coming to and returning from school. 

11. It is recommended that the school be opened by reading a por- 
tion of the Bible, which may be read, either separately by the teach- 
ers, or by the scholars, or by both in connection ; but no scholar shall 
be required to engage in this exercise against the expressed wishes 
of the parent or guardian. 

12. The teachers shall practice such discipline in the schools as 
would be exercised by a kind, judicious parent in his family, and 
shall avoid corporal punishment in all cases where order can be pre- 
served by milder measures ; and they shall keep a faithful account of 
all punishments and the ofTenses for which they are inflicted — sub- 
ject to examination by the school committee, or trustees. 

13. For violent opposition, or gross immorality, or indecency, or 
contagious disease, a teacher may exclude a pupil horn school for the 
time ; and in all such cases, shall forthwith give information in writ- 
ing, of the cause thereof, to the parents or guardian, and to the school 
committee. 

14. Whenever the example of any scholar shall be such as to be 
dangerous to the morality of the other scholars or the good order of 
the school, and there is no hope of reformation, the teacher shall re- 
port the case to the school committee for their advice and decision. 



FORM 171. 99 

15. The teachers shall exert themselves, under the advice of the 
committee, to impart a knowledge of the English language (includ- 
inor orthography, etymology, pronunciation, definitions, composition, 
grammar and reading) writing, mental and written arithmetic, geo- 
graphy, and the history of the United States. 

16. The following books are recommended to be used in the public 
schools : no teacher shall permit the scholars to use any keys to 
arithmetics or other mathematical works. 

The following text books shall be used in the studies specified. 
[Here insert the name of such books as have been prescribed, or 
recom.mended, as the case may be, by the school committee.] 

17. In case any scholar is not provided with the proper books, the 
teacher shall inform the parent, guardian or master thereof;" and if 
such parent, guardian or master shall not within one Aveek provide 
proper books, the teacher shall inform the trustees of the district, who 
shall provide the same in manner prescribed by law. 

18. The teacher shall endeavor to combine the use of oral instruc- 
tion and familiar explanations with the recitation from the prescribed 
books, especially on the subject of morals and manners. 

19. Needle work may be allowed in the primary schools. 

20. Exercises in declamation shall take place at suitable times at 
the discretion of the teacher under the advice of the committee. 

21. Singing shall be encouraged, and as far as practicable, taught 
in all the schools, not only for its direct intellectual and moral uses, 
but as a healthy exercise of the lungs, an agreeable recreation to the 
pupils, and an auxiliary in school government: but no one shall be 
required to engage in it against the wishes of his parents. 

22. The teacher may, under the advice of the visiting committee, 
occasionally employ the older scholars to assist under his direction 
in the management of the sc'iool when they are capable, and when 
it can be done without disadvantage to them or to the good order of 
the school. 

23. Every teacher shall keep a record of all the recitations of every 
class, and of the manner in which every member of the class shall 
acquit himself in his recitations, using figures or otherwise to mark 
degrees of merit, and shall exhibit the same to the parents or guar- 
dians, committee or trustee, when required. 



100 FORM 171. 

24. It is recommended that there shall be a recess of at least ten 
minutes in every half day for the older scholars, and of ten minutes 
in every hour, for the younger. 

25. The teache'S shall give vigilant attention to the ventilation 
and temperature of their rooms, causing those that have been occu- 
pied to be opened and aired each morning and afternoon, at the times 
of recess, and at the end of school hours ; and they shall use all pro- 
per means to avoid those injurious extremes of heat and cold, which 
negligence might induce. 

26. The teachers shall take care that their rooms and entries are 
kept neat and clean, and swept as often as necessary, and that they 
be dusted every day. 

27. The teachers shall take care that the school houses, the appa- 
ratus in the same, and all the public property entrusted to their 
charge, be not defaced or otherwise injured by the scholars; and it 
shall be the duty of the teachers to give prompt notice, to one or more 
of the trustees, of any repairs or supplies that may be needed ; and 
they may prescribe such rules for the use of the yards and outbuild- 
ings connected with the school houses, as shall ensure their being 
kept in a neat and proper condition, and shall examine them as often 
as may be necessary for such purpose, and they shall be held respon- 
sible for any want of neatness or cleanliness about their premises. 

28. The following rules shall be observed by all teachers unless 
otherwise specified in their written contract; — they shall teach six 
hours every day, including the recess, and shall divide the day into 
two sessions with at least one hour intermission in the middle of the 
day: — they shall teach every day in the week, except Saturday and 
Sunday, and four weeks for a month. They may dismiss the school 
on the Fourth of July, on Christmas, and days of Public Fast and 
Thanksgiving, and for the purpose of attending a Teachers' Institute, 
and such other meetings as the Commissioner of Public Schools may 
appoint and invite the attendance of the teachers. 

PUPILS. 

29. Good morals being of the first importance, and essential to 
their progress in useful knowledge, the pupils are strictly enjoined to 
avoid idleness and profanity, falsehood and deceit, and every wicked 
and disgraceful practice, and to conduct themselves in a sober, order- 



FOKM 171. 101 

ly and decent manner, both in and out of school, to obey all orders 
of their teachers in relation to their conduct and studies, and to be 
punctual and constant in daily attendance. 

30. The scholars must scrape their feet on the scraper, and wipe 
them on every mat they pass over on their way to the school room ; 
they must hang their hats, caps and overcoats on the hooks, or de- 
posit them on the shelves appropriated to each respectively ; and 
must be held responsible for the neatness of their own desks and the 
floor nearest to their seal, and for the good order of their books and 
stationery, 

31. No scholar who comes to school without proper attention hav- 
ing been given to the cleanliness of his person and of his dress, [or 
whose clothes are not properly repaired, shall be permitted to remain 
in school. 

32. Every pupil who shall, any where on, or around the school 
premises, use or write any profane or unchaste language, or shall 
draw any obscene pictures or representations, or cut, mark, or other- 
wise intentionally deface any school furniture, or buildings inside or 
out, or any property whatsoever belonging to the school estate, shall 
be punished in proportion to the nature and extent of the oflence ; 
and shall be liable to the action of the civil law. 

33. Every pupil who shall, accidentally or otherioise, injure any 
school property, whether fences, gates, trees or shrubs, or any 
building or any part thereof, or break any window glass, or injure 
or destroy any instrument, apparatus or furniture belonging to the 
school, shall be liable to pay in full for all the damage he has done. 

34. All the scholars shall leave school in good order and quietly, 
as sopn as dismissed, unless permitted by the teacher to remain ; 
and all unnecessary noise in or around the school house is pro- 
hibited. The throwing of sticks, stones or other missiles in or 
near the school house and the knocking off of caps or hats are 
strictly prohibited. 

35. No scholar of either sex shall be permitted to enter that part 
of the yard and buildings appropriated to the other, without the 
teacher's permission. 

36. Smoking and chewing tobacco in the school house or upon 
the school premises are forbidden. 



102 FORM 171. 

37. There shall be a return made from every school supported 
in whole or in part by the public money, to the School Committee, 
according to the form published by the Commissioner of Public 
Schools, and with such additional items of information as the Com- 
missioner or Committee may from time to time require. And if 
there be summer and winter schools, or there be two or more 
schools of the same or a different grade, a separate account shall be 
given of each school. 

38. Every teacher shall keep a copy of these rules and regula- 
tions posted up in the school room, and shall cause the same to be 
read aloud in school at least once in every month. 

A true copy : Witness, 

III. 

The following are extracts from the Regulations of the School 
Committee of Portsmouth, which were drawn up by Thomas R. 
Hazard, Esq. 

Sec. It shall be the teacher's duty to act as Librarian, and to 
adopt regulations from time to time for the security and useful ap- 
plication of the books ; subject to the approval of any committee 
which may be appointed by the district for that purpose. 

Sec. It shall be required of the teacher to read aloud to his 
pupils either at the commencement or close of the school, in suita- 
ble sections, the Constitution of the United States, and of the 
State of Rhode-Island, and to encourage his pupils in the perusal 
of such works as may be furnished the school library and approved 
of by the district, as may treat on Commerce, Finance, Agricul- 
ture, Manufactures, the Mechanic Arts, History of the Law (jf Na- 
tions as applicable in their intercourse with each other, and on such 
other subjects as may tend to qualify them to exercise that impor- 
tant and responsible trust, upon the faithful and upright discharge 
of which the very existence of their country may yet depend — 
" the right of suffrage." 

Sec. It shall be the teacher's duty not only to cultivate the 
intellects of his pupils, but he shall seek proper occasions to pro- 
mote their moral progress and improvement by discouraging the 
expansion of evil propensities ; an'1 instilling into their minds ov^ry 



TOKM m. 103 

virtuous and elevated sentiment : such as at all times to adhere 
rigidly to the truth, both in heart and word, Avithout regard to con- 
sequences : that they maintain a strict regard to the rights and 
feelings of others ; and that they cultivate friendly and compas- 
sionate sentiments one towards another, and to all living creatures; 
that they ever abstain from inflicting unnecessary pain or death on 
any part of the animal creation : — and finally, that they live in con- 
formity with that comprehensive injunction of the Saviour of men, 
and which includes every duty of man to his fellow man, " to do 
unto others as we would that they should do unto us." 



INDEX. 

The references are to the sections in the margin. 



Academies may incorporate themselves, 75, 135. 
Accounts of committee, how kept, 98. 

of town treasurer, 23, 84. 
AFriBMATiON. See Engagement. 
Age OF ADMISSION should be uniform, 16, 97. 

over fifteen not excluded except by general rule, 60. 
Altekaxion of districts. See Districts. 
Annulling certificate, form for, 141. 
Appeal, to Commissioner, in what cases, 65, 133. 

if legal votes rejected, 116. 

decided without cost, 65. 

on appeal, strict notice may be dispensed with in certain 
cases, 30. 

form for, 165. 

rules may be prescribed by Commissioner, 65. 

from appraisal of land taken for school house, 13. 
Apportionment of property, 49. 

of money. See Monej'. 
Appkopkiation for schools, 2. 

for Indian school, 74. 

for deaf, dumb, blind and idiots, 73. 

for teachers' institutes, 58. 

for poor insane, 134. See act of January, 18o0. 
Akchitecture of school houses, 93. 
Assessment. See Trustees and Rate-bill. 
Assessors of town. See Tax. 
Assistant teacher to be examined, 54. 

Associations for libraries and academies may incorporate them- 
selves, 75, 135. 
Attendance average, how calculated, r27. 

register to be kept by teacher, 57, 126. 

half of State money apportioned according to, 20. 
14 



106. INDEX. 

The references are to the sections in the margin. 

Attokney. Districts must execute all deeds, leases, &c. by At- 
torney, 
vote to appoint Attorney to execute deed, 162. 
" " " take a lease, 160. 

" " " " execute building contract, 150, 

See Power of Attorney. 

Baknaed Henry, 92, 93, 111, 135. 

Bible, remarks on use of in schools, 129. 

Blackboards may be furnished by tax, 35. 

Blank forms prescribed by Commissioner, 4, 21 , 22. 

to be distributed by town clerks, 24. 
Blind, provision for education of, 73, 134. 
Bond, form of district treasurer's, 154. 
" collector's, 155. 

collector and treasurer need not give, unless required, 37- 
Books to be recommended by Commissioner, 3. 

to be regulated by school committee, 16, 96. 

to be furnished to poor scholars by trustees, 41. 

sectarian, should not be admitted, 96. 

distributed by Legislature to school districts. 111. 

See Bible. 
BouNDAHiES of districts. See District Boundaries. 
Building contracts, form of, 151. 

plans to be approved, 35. 

See Remarks, 93. 
BuRRiLLViLLE, special acts as to No. 2, January, 1836, and Jan- 
uary, 1838, repealed. 

Special act for town, June, 1840, repealed. 

Certificate of election. See Warrant. 

of engagement. See Engagement. 

of qualilication of teachers, 55. 

by whom annulled, 54, 56, 94. 

form of certificate, 139. 

form for annulling, 141. 

given by committee valid for one year in town, 54. 

by inspector valid in county two years, 54. 

by Commissioner in State three years, 54. 

subjects of and manner of examination, 55, 94. 
Charlestown, school for Indians in, 74. 

Indians not to be reckoned in apportioning money, 74. 

special act for building school houses, June 1837, repealed. 
Clerk of town. See Town Clerk. 

of district, must be an elector, 113, See Constitution. 



INDEX. 107 

The references are to the sections in the margin. 

Clerk of committee may engage certain officers, 62. 
" to be engaged, 62, form lo8. 

of district may engage officers, 62. 
of district may sign all official papers, 10. 

" to be engaged, 62, 123, form of, 138. 
" may b^ engaged by moderator, 62. 
" to procure book of record, 72. 
"• should record district boundaries. 
*' to deliver papers to successor, 64. 
"■ to give copies, 64. 

violating laws, 64, 123. 
" his record evidence of engagement, 62. 
" " " notice of meeting, 72. 

" to record names of persons voting if requested, 32. 
" holds until successor appointed, 63. 

*' should record rejected as well as adopted mo- 
tions, 123. 
." should read mimites of record in open meeting, 123. 

See Records and Tax. 

Chairman of committee to be engaged, 62. 

may engage certain officers, 62. 

or clerk to sign all official papers, 10. 
Collector. See tax. 

may be appointed at annual or any meeting, 37. 

must be elector, 113. See Constitution. 

should be engaged, 62. 

form of, 138. 

need not give bond unless required, 37. 

form of bond, 155, 125. 

to have powers of town collector, 37. 

to receive warrant for collecting from trustees, 42. 

town collector may be employed by district, 37, 59. 
" " need not be engaged anew, 37. 

selling land should preserve evidence of advertising, 152. 

form of deed on sale for taxes, 157, 

holds until successor appointed, 63. 

penalty for violating laws, 64. 
Commissioner, powers and duties, 2, 3, 4. 

to be engaged, 62. 

to decide appeals Avithout cost, 65. 

may make rules regulating appeals, 65, 4. 

to apportion school money in May, 2. 

to exclude Indians in apportioning. See Indians. 

to draw orders in favor of towns, 2. 

to prepare forms, 4, 22, 43. 



108 WDEX. 

The references are to the sections tn the margin. 

Commissioner to visit schools, 3. 
to recommend books, 3. 
to hold teachers' institutes, 58. 
to appoint county inspectors, 4. 
form of appointment of inspector, 1 69. 
to grant certificates in cases, 54. 
to report to January session of Assembly, 4. 
to hold until successor appointed, 63. 
case of sickness, &c. Commissioner pro tem., 1. 
may approve plans of school houses, 35. 
may remit fines and forfeitures, 4. 

to distribute fund for deaf, dumb, blind and idiots, 73, 134. 
may order a tax in certain cases, 46. 
may correct errors in tax, 47. 
may abate tax in case of person changed from one district to 

another, 48. 
may waive strict notice in certain cases, 30. 
to receive report from Indian school, 74. 
Consolidation of school districts. See Union. 
Committee, when chosen and how many, 8. 
may be chosen by town council, in case, 85. 
to be engaged, 62. 
form of engagement, 138. 

need not be electors. See Constitution. 

hold until successors appointed, 63. 

quorum of, IJ . 

vacancies how filled, 18, 86i 

to have certificate of election, 85. 

form of, 137. 

will meet quarterly and when, 11. 

will receive report from town treasurer of unexpended money,23. 

should send list of Committee to Commissioner, 89. 

special meetings how called, 87, 106. 

to receive no compensation unless, &c. 8. 

to examine teachers, 14, 54. 

" subjects of examination, 94. 

" form of certificate, 139. 

may employ some person to examine, 14, 54. 

may annul certificates, 14, 54, 

form for annulling, 141. 

remarks on annulling certificates, 94. 

may dismiss teacher by whomsoever 'examined, 56. 

may make rules and regulations, 16, 97. 

forms for, 171. 

may prescribe books and modes of instruction, 1(5, 06. 



109 



The references are to the sectmis in the margin. 

Committee may lay off and alter school districts, 12. 

remarks on, 90. 

history of law relating to alterations of districts, 92. 

may apportion property of districts when altered, 49. 

may authorize two districts in town to unite, 51. 

may form joint district, with another town, 52, 91. 

form of vote, 167. 

may let scholars attend schools in other towns or districts, 53. 

to locate all school houses, 13. 

remarks on, 93. 

to fill vacancies in committee, 18, 86. 

to report to Commissioner on or before July 1st, 22. 

to town at town meeting, 22, 99. 

may reserve money to print their report, 22, 99. 

if not printed, report must be read in town meeting, 22. 

may suspend or expel scholars, I 7, 128. 

to visit schools and how often, 15. 

may employ person to visit, 15. 

remarks on visiting, 95. 

subjects for enquiry when visiting, 95. 

duty of com. when town is not divided into districts, 5, 59, 19. 

may assess a rate where there are no districts, 59. 

duty of com. when district devolves care of school on them. 38, 
101. 
" " wl),en district neglects to keep school, 38. 

to apportion school money early and how, 20, 98, 74. 

may divide town money, if town does not, 20. 

may divide unexpended money, 21. 

to draw orders in favor of teachers, in case, 21. 

need not give orders until services performed, 21. 

form of order, 164. 

as to records. See records. 

deaf, dumb, blind, idiots and insane, 73, 134. 

should approve district tax and rate-bill, 36, 59. 

may abate tax when person is removed from one district to 
another, 48. 

may call district meeting for organization, or where no trus- 
tees, 25. 

" " where trustees neglect to call it, 27. 

" ••' may direct how to notify, 30. 

may he authorized by town to appoint superintendent, 7. 

superintendent, (if not one of committee) should be elector. 
Constitution. 

Constitution of state, provision for education. Article 12th. 
permanent school fund not to he diverted. • Idem. 



110 INDEX. 

The references are to the sections 'm the margin. 

Constitution, school committee need not be electors. Article 9th. 

all other officers must be. Idem. 

any elector may be elected to office. Idem. 
Contract, with teacher. Form 142, 107. 

for building, 151. 

of district may be enforced by Commissioner, 46. 
Corporations, districts to be, 33. 

academies and libraries may, 75, 135. 
Costs, appeal to be decided without costs, 65. 

on suits against district officer, no costs if acted in good faith, 67. 
Council. See town council. 
County inspector. See inspector. 

Coventry. Special act as to No. 6, Jan. 7, 1842, repealed. 
Criminals, juvenile may be sentenced to Providence Reform School. 

See acts of January and October, 1S50. 
Cumberland. Special acts of October, 1S34, and October, 1838, now 
repealed. 

Deaf, dumb, blind and idiots, provision for, 73, 134. 
Debts and damages, how recovered of district, 46, 69. 
Declining office, 18, 37. 
Deed, form of, from school district, 163. 

power from district to execute, 162. 

to district, form of, 161, 

from tax collector, form of, 157. 
Deposit Fund. See act of October, 1836. 
District Clerk. See Clerk. 
District Collector. See Collector. 
District Treasurer, may be elected at any meeting, 37. 

should be elector, 113. See Constitution. 

should have certificate. 
" be engaged, 62, 

holds until successor appointed, 63. • 

need not give bond unless required, 37. 

form of bond, 154, 124. 

if receives school money, to pay it to trustees, 21, 
District Boundaries, to be fixed by committee, 12, 

on what principles, 90, 12. 

when altered, property to be apportioned, 49. 

history of the law relating to, 92. 

existing districts confirmed, 12. 

no new district with less than 40 children, unless approved by 
School Commissioner, 12. 

Districts, as to notice of meetings, see notice. 

may organise at any time on notice by committee, 25. 



INDEX. Ill 

The references are to the sections in the margin. 

Districts, annual meeting, when, 26, 114. 

meeting, if no trustees, called by committee, 25. 

shall be called on request, 27. 

if trustees neglect, committee may call, 27. 

shall be held at school house unless, 28. 

district may fix place of meeting, 28. 

meeting shall be in district, 28. 

if called by committee they shall notify, 30. 

district may prescribe mode of notice, 30. 

form of vote for this, 148. 

may choose moderator at each meeting, 31, 114. 

moderator need not be engaged, 62. 

" may engage clerk, 62. 
may choose clerk, one or three trustees, &c., 37. 
may fill vacancies, 37. 

if don't choose them at annual meeting, may at any other, 37. 
ofRcers must be electors, 113. See Constitution, 
may require bonds of collector and treasurer, 37. 
may insure against fire, 35. 
remarks on powers of, 114, 117, 120. 
quorum of district meeting, 118. 
may devolve care of school on committee, 38, 101. 
if do not organise or neglect, committee may provide school, 3S. 
may fix rates for tuition and incidentals, 59. 
may authorise trustees to fix rates, 59. 
see Kates. 

cannot keep scholar from school on account of poverty, 60. 
should exempt the poor from assessment, 59, 117. 
may build school houses by tax, 36. 
may tax for all school purposes, 36, 120. 
see Tax. 
may provide maps, blackboard, library, clock and appendages 

by tax, 35. 
must have plan of house and tax approved by committee or 

Commissioner, 35, 36. 
remarks on this provision, 93. 
must make returns to obtain money, 43, 21. 
must keep school in house approved by committee, 21. 
may adopt a seal, 168. 

must execute deeds, leases and contracts by attorney, 
debts and damages, how recovered, 46, 69. 
Avhen can rescind vote, 46, 120. 
forms of votes. See Forms, 
inhabitants may be witnesses, 71. 

" may answer suit against district, 68. 



112 INDEX. 

The references are io the sections in the margin. 



Districts may place tax, &c, in hands of town collector, 37. 

refusing to collect tax in certain cases, 46, 69. 

writs against, how served, 70. 

school house exempt from execution, 69. 

" "• " taxation. Digest, p 431. 

may take land for school house, 13. 

may abate tax in case of person removed, 48. 

may join to establish secondary or grammar school, 50. 

in same town may join without losing money, 51, 

may form joint district with another town. See Districts Joint. 

existing districts confirmed, 12. 
Districts Joint, in adjoining towns, how formed, 52, 122. 

form of vote, 167. 

meeting, how called, 52. 

may prescribe mode of notifying meetings, 52, 30. 

form of vote, 148, 

money, how apportioned to, 52. 

under supervision of committee, where house located, 52. 

collecting tax in, 52. 

how altered, 52. 
Disturbing school, how punished, 132. 

scholars expelled for, 17. 
Division of Districts, property how apportioned, 49, 90. 
Dumb, provision for education of, 73, 134. 

East Greenwich, special act of January, 1832, now repealed. 
Election, of school committee, 8. 

who may be committee. Constitution. 

of chairman and clerk of committee, 10. 

of sub-committee for examination, 14. 

of district officers, 37, 114. 
Engagement to office, 62. 

penalty for not taking, 62. 

officers holding over, need not be engaged anew, 63. 

town collector need not be engaged anew, 37. 

record of clerk of district to be evidence of engagement, 62. 

Justice of peace cannot act out of his own town in civil mat- 
ters. Digest, p. 104, § 5. 
Examination by committee. See Committee. 

by inspector, 54, 55. 

manner of conducting, 94. 

See Certificate and Teacher. 
Executions against districts, how served, 69. 
Exemptions from taxes. See Tax. 

poor exempt from rate-bill, 59, 61. 



INDEX. 3 13 

The references are to the sections in the margin. 

Exemptions, property exempt from distress, 152, note. 

school house exempt from execution, 69. 

school house exempt from taxation. Digest, page 431. 
ExETEK, special acts, January, 1838, and January, 1839, repealed. 
" as to No. 4, Oct. 1841, repealed. 

Fines. See Penalty. 

FiKE insurance, provision for, 35. 

FoEFEiTUKES. See Penalty. 

Forms, warrant or certificate of election of school officers, 137. 

oath and certificate of engagement of, 138. 

certificate to a teacher from committee, 139. 

certificate from county inspector, 140. 

annulling certificate, 141. 

contract with teacher to keep school, 142. 

notice of first meeting of district, 143. 

notice of annual district meeting, 144. 

application to trustees for special meeting, J 45. 

commencement of district records, 146. 

form for choosing officers, 147. 

vote of district prescribing mode of notice, 148. 

vote of district to devolve school on committee, 149. 

vote of district to build school house, 150. 

contract to build house, 151. 

vote to lay a tax, j52. 

form of a tax bill, 1 53. 

district treasurer's bond, 154. 

collector's bond, 155. 

warrant to collect taxes, 156. 

tax collector's deed, 157. 

rate bill for tuition, 158. 

lease to a district, 159. 

power of attorney from district to take a lease, 160. 

deed to a school district, 161. 

vote appointing attorney to sell district's land, 162. 

deed of district land, 163. 

order for money, 164. 

notice of appeal, 165, 

vote to establish secondary school, 166. 

vote of committee to establish joint district, 167. 

vote prescribing form of seal for district, 168. 

appointment of county inspector, 169. 

form of district's return, 170. 

rules and regulations of town schools, 171. 

of voluntary incorporation of libraries, &c. 136. 
15 



114 INDEr. 

The references are to the sections in the margin. 

Forms, of town treasurer's certificate to obtain school money, 84. 

of regulations for libraries, 135. 
Fuel, how provided, 59. 

Fund, permanent school fund cannot be diverted. Constitution, 
Art. 12. 

deposit fund or U. S. surplus revenue. See Act of Oct. 1836. 

General Treasurer. See Treasurer General. 
Glocestee, special act, January, 1840, repealed. 
GoxEKNOR to appoint Commissioner of Public Schools, 1 . 

" " committee to superintend Indian school, 74. 
may aid poor insane persons, 134. See Act of January, 
1850. 
Gkadation of schools provided for by towns, 5. 
district may establish graded schools, 59, 103. 
two districts may establish secondary schools, 50. 
History of school legislation in Rhode-Island, 92. 
HoPKiNTON, special acts passed June, 1829, Nov. 1831, and June, 
1835, now repealed, 
special act as to No. 9, Oct. 1838. 

Idiots, provision for training and education of, 73, 134. 
Imbeciles. See Idiots. 
Incorporations, voluntary, 75, 135. 
Indians in Charlestown, school for, 74. 

teacher to be examined, 74. 
not to be reckoned, 74. 
Insane poor may be aided by Governor out of treasury, 134. Act 

of January, 1 850. 
Inspectors to be appointed for each county, 4. 
form of appointment, 169. 
his certificate good for two years, 54. 
may be annulled, 54, 56. 

should import higher degree of qualification, 54. 
office expires first Tuesday of May and do not hold over, 4. 
may be removed, 4. 
Institute, teachers', to be held by Commissioner, 58. 
Insurance against fire, 35. 
Interrupting school, how punished, 132. 

scholars may be expelled for, 17. 
Jamestown, wardens may engage officers, 62. 
Johnston, special act as to No. 13, March, 1842, repealed. 
Joint districts. See Districts Joint. 
Judge may engage any office within the state, 62. 
of supreme court may decide appeals, 65. 



iNntx. 115 

The references are to the sections in the TTiargin. 



Judgment against district, how enforced, 69. 
Justice of peace may engage officers, 62. 

cannot act out of his own town in civil matters, 

Digest, p 104, § 5 
may administer poor debtor's oath in certain cases, 

61. 
may sentence juvenile offenders in any county to 
the Reform School. Pamphlet Laws, p 794. 
Juvenile criminals may be sentenced to Providence Reform 

School. See acts of January and October, 1850. 
Lease of lot to school district, form of, 159. 

power of attorney from district to execute lease, 160. 
Legal proceedings, 30, 65. 
Library may be provided by town, 5. 

" " district tax, 34. 
association may incorporate itself, 75, 135. 
form for, 1 36. 

meetings and quorum of, 78. 
Little Compton, special act as to committee, May 1341, repealed. 
Local Acts, what ones repealed by new law, 81. 
see them collected in Journal of Institute, vol 1. 
see this index under the names of the towns. 
Location of school-houses to be made by committee, 13. 

remarks on, 93. 
Map of State, 111, 130. 
ISIaps, district may purchase, 35, 111. 
Meetings of school committee, when, 11. 

quorum of, 11. 
special, how called, 87, 106. 
of districts, when, 26. 

quorum of, 118. 

special meetings, how called, 27 
form for calling special meeting, 145. 
shall be called on request, 27. 
if trustees neglect, committee may call, 27. 
if no trustees, committee may call, 25. 
shall be held at school house unless, 28. 
shall be in district, 28. 
see Notice and Districts, 
of joint districts, how called, 52. 
religious in school house, 121. 
of library corporations, how called, &c., 78. 
Misconduct, scholars expelled for, 17. 

of school officers, how punished, 64. 
Moderator elected for each meeting:. 31. 



116 mDEi. 

The references are to the sections in the margin. 



Moderator, need not be engaged, 62. 

refusing to put questions to vote, 64. 
violating laws, 64. 
Money, how apportioned to towns, 2. 

Indians not included, 74. 

on what conditions, 2, 6, 22. 

how apportioned to districts, 20, 52, 98. 

on what conditions, 21. 

form of certificate of towns raising their proportion, 84. 

form of committee's order on town treasurer, 164. 
Music, 94. 

Narragansett Indians, 74. 

Newport, school fund. See acts of May, 1827, June, 1828, and 

June, 1830. 
New Shoreham, warden may engage officers, 62. 
New Testament. See Bible. 

North Kingstown, special act for No. 9, June, 1840. 
North Providence, special act as to No. I, October,1836, repealed. 

No. 7, May, 1838, repealed. 
" for town, January, 1841, May, 1841, 
and January, 1842, repealed. 
Notary may engage any officer within his county, 62. 
Notice of special meeting of school committee, 87, 106. 
of district meeting for organization, 25, 143, 

for annual or special meeting, 144. 
mode of notifying may be prescribed by district, 30. 
" " if called by school committee, 30. 

all notices from committee must be signed by chairman or 

clerk, 10. 
strict notice may be dispensed with in certain cases, 30. 
remarks on notices and preserving evidence of them, 123, 
clerk's record prima facie evidence of notice, 72. 

Oath. See Engagement. 
Officers to be engaged, 62. 

who may hold office, 1J3. 

to hold until successors appointed, 63. 

penalty for violating laws, 64. 

protected from costs in certain cases, 67. 
Orders on town treasurer for money, form of, 164. 

may be given to teachers, &c., by committee, 21. 

need not be given until services performed, 21. 

on general treasurer, how procured, 6, 84. 

of committee must be signed bv chairraan or clerk, 10, 



I.XDJiX. 117 

The references are to the sectioTis in the margin. 

Organization of school committee, 10, 62, 85. 
districts may organize at any time, 25, 114. 
see Districts. 

Penalty for disturbing school, 132. Digest, p. 395, § 93. 

for misappropriating money, 64. 

for not delivering copies, 64. 

for not delivering over money or papers, 64. 

how collected, 64. 

for not taking engagement, 62, 

Commissioner may remit forfeitures, 4. 
Poor persons may be relieved from tax or rate bill on oath, 61. 

may take oath before commitment, 61. 

deaf, dumb, blind and idiots, 73. 

insane may be assisted by Governor out of State Treasury, 13 4. 
Act of January, 1850. 
Poor scholars not to be excluded from schools, 60. 

should be exempted from assessment, 59. 

supplied with books at expense of district, 41. 
Power of attorney. See Attorney. 
Process against districts, how served, 70, 69. 
Providence schools, how regulated, 80. 

reform school. See acts of January and Octobar, 1850. 
Punishment for disturbing school, 17, 132. 

power of teachers to punish for acts done out of school, 131. 

Qualification of teachers. See Examination and Teachers. 

of voters. See Voters, 113. 

any voter may be elected to ofTice, 113. 
Quorum of school committee, 11. 

of district meeting, 118. 

of library corporations, 78. 

Rate bills for tuition-, fuel and incidental expenses, 59. 

form of, 158, 

amount limited, 59. 

may be raised by trustees to keep four months without vote of 
district, 59. 

in all cases to be approved by committee, 59. 

how collected, 42, 59, 152. ' 

district may place them in hands of town collector, 37, 59. 

trustees to make out rate bills and issue warrants, 42. 

poor persons exempt from, 59. 

*' '* may take poor debtor's oath without being com- 
mitted, 61. 



118 



The references are to the sections in the margin. 



Reconsideration of vote when allowed, 46, 119. 
Records of bounds and alterations of district to be kept by town 
clerk, 24. 
of school committee, 104. 
of districts, 123. 

clerk to record number and names of voters on request, 32. 
" to procure book for records, 72. 
" should read record in open meeting, 123. 
record to be prima facie evidence of notice, 72. 

" " " engagement, 62. 

forms of district records, 146, 147. 
Reform school in Providence. See acts of January and Oct. 1850. 
juvenile delinquents in any county may be sen- 
tenced to. Idem. 
Refusal to serve, 18, 37. 
Register of attendance to be kept, 57, 127. 
Registry tax may be divided by such rule as town directs, 20. 
Regulations for schools may be made by committee, 16, 97. 
forms for, 171. 

for appeals, &c. may be made by Commissioner, 4, 65. 
violation of by scholars, 17. 
Religious meetings in school houses, 121. 

opinions of teacher, 94. 
Removal from office or district, &,c. 18, 37. 
Repairs may be made by tax, 35. 

must be approved by Committee or Com:nissioner, 35. 
reasons for restriction, 93. 
Rent, district may tax for, 35, 120. 
Report of Commissioner to Legislature, 4. 

forms to be prescribed by Commissioner, 4, 22, 43. 
of trustees to committee, 43, 99, 112. 
teacher must prepare them if requested, 57. 
forms of, 170. 

importance of having full and correct reports, 99. Note to 170. 
committee to report to Commissioner on or before July 1st, 22. 
" " to town at annual town meeting, 22. 

" may reserve money to print their report, 22. 
" if not printed, to be read in town meeting, 22. 
Repeal, former laws how far repealed, 81. 
Rescinding vote, when allowable, 46, 119. 
Resignation need not be in writing, 115. 
Returns. See Reports. 

Richmond, special acts of June, 1835, January,1836, and October, 
1837, now repealed. 
" special act on petition of Fardon Olney, &c. Oct. 1838. 



i7?Diir. 119 

The references are to tfie sections in t}ie margin. 

Richmond, special act on district No. 4, Richmond, Oct, 1838. 
Rules. See Regulations. 

Scholars may be suspended or expelled by committee, 17. 

teacher may be authorized by rule to suspend temporarily, 128. 

disturbing school how punished at law, 132. 

poor cannot be excluded from school, 60. 

poor to be supplied with books at expense of district, 41, 

not to be excluded for being over fifteen years old, 60. 

age may be regulated by committee, 16. 
School books. See Books. 

committee. See Committee. 

districts. See Districts. 

libraries. See Libraries, 
School fund, permanent, cannot be diverted. See Constitution, 
Art. 12. 

Deposit fund, or U. S. surplus revenue. See act of Oct. 1836. 
Schools must be kept in house approved by committee, 21. 

in district not organized to be kept by the committee or 
agent, 38. 

disturbance of how punished, 17, 132. 

misconduct, scholars may be expelled for, 1 7. 

power of teacher to punish for acts done out of school, 131. 

committee may make regulations, 16. 

register of attendance to be kept, 57, 127. 

in towns not divided into districts, committee to regulate, 5, 
59, 19. 

superintendent of may be appointed, 7. 
School house, special acts for building. See the names of the towns. 

first gerieraZ act for building by taxation, January, 1844, now 
repealed. 

exempt from taxation, Digest, page 431, § 27. 

plan of must be approved of by Committee or Commissioner, 
35, 93. 

use of for religious or other meetings, 121. 

may be built by town tax, 5. 

power of district to build, 35, 120. 

to be located by committee, 13. 

remarks on location, 93. 

form of vote to build, 150. 
" building contract, 151. 
" power of attorney to make contract, 150. 

exempt from sale on execution, 69. 

may be insured against fire, 35. 
SciTUATE, special act as to No. 15, January, 1841, repealed. 



120 INDEX. 

TJie references are to the sictiims in the margin. 



Seal of district what will be, 168. 

form of vote to adopt one, 16S. 
Secondary schools, 50. 
Senator may engage any officers, 62. 
Smithfield, special acts of June, 1830, January, 1838, and Oct. 

1837, now repealed. 
South Kingstown, special act as to No. 17, Oct. 1838, 

special act for town, January, 184 1, repealed. 
Special acts for building school houses. See the names of the 

towns. 
Studies. See Books. 
Sub-committee may be appointed to examine teachers, 14, 54. 

may be person not of committee, 14, 54. 
Suits at law, districts may prosecute, 34, 

proceedings in, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71. 
Superintendent of schools may be appointed by town, 7. 

to be paid by town, 7. 

town may authorize committee to appoint, 7. 

if not one of committee, must be an elector. Constitution. 
Supreme Court, judge approving Commissioner's decision, final, 65. 
Surplus Revenue of United States. See act of October, 1836. 

Tax, school house exempt from taxation. Digest, page 431. 

for what purpose towns may tax. See Towns. 

for what districts may tax, 36, 120. 

who may vote for, 32. 

to be levied according to town assessment, 45. 

assessment to be made by trustees, 42, 

trustees need not give notice, 45. 

tax and plans must be approved by school committee, 35, 36. 

trustee must issue warrant to collector, 42. 

form of warrant, 156. 

district may employ town collector to collect, 37, 59. 

town collector need not be engaged or give bond anew, 37. 

to be collected as town taxes, 37. 

in joint district to be approved by Committees or Commis- 
sioner, 52. 

in what cases town assessors to be called on, 45. 

town assessors to give ten days notice, 45. 

collector and treasurer need not give bond unless required, 37. 

form of collector's bond, 155, 125. 

vote to lay a tax, form of, 152. 

district refusing to collect tax. Commissioner to collect it in 
certain cases, 46. 

errors in assessing, how corrected, 47. 



INDEX. 121 

The references are to the sections in the margin. 

Tax, if not appealed from, cannot be questioned in Court, 66. 

summarj' of statute law as to collecting taxes, 1 52, and note to 

form 157. 
may be abated in cases of persons changed from one district 

to another, 48. 
in suit against district officer, no costs if acted in good faith, 67. 
for local ac':s as to taxation. See names of towns, 
first general act for building school houses by tax, January, 

1844, now repealed. 

Teacher, what qualifications required, 55, 126. 
to be examined and by whom, 14, 54, 94. 
must be employed by trustees, 40, 107. 
may be by committee in case, 38. 
foi-m of certificate, 139. 

may be dismissed by committee in all cases, 56. 
certificate may be aimulled, 54. 
to keep register and make returns, 57. 
importance of having full reports and returns, note to 170. 
form of contract with trustees, 142. 
remarks on duties of, 126. 
should attend teachers' meetings, 110. 
how to calculate average attendance, 127. 
may suspend scholars temporarily if allowed by rules, 128. 
remarks on using Bible in schools, 129. 
penalty on disturbing his school, ]32. 
power to punish scholars for acts done out of school, 131. 
should inform committee when school begins, 
should notify parents, &-c. if scholars have not proper books, 41 
of Indian school to be examined, 74. 

Teachers' money, what, 20. 

Teachers' Institutes to be held by Commissioner, 58. 
Testament. See Bible. 

TfVERTON, special act as to No. 13, June, 1841, repealed. 
Towns, to raise money before receive proportion from State, 6. 
" July 1st, 2, 

if do not raise it, their proportion to be added to permanent 
fund, 6. 

but Commissioner may remit forfeitures, 4. 

may establish libraries, 5. 

may support schools, 5. 

may build houses by town tax, 5. 

to choose a school committee of not less than three, 8. 

may direct by what rules town money shall be divided among 
the districts, 20. 

16 



122 INDEX, 

The references are to the sections in the margiii. 

Towns, may appoint or empower committee to appoint superintend- 
ent, 7. 
not to be divided into districts without direction of town, I'S. 
Town Collector may be employed to collect tax or rate, 37, 59. 

need not be engaged or give bond anew, 37. 
Town Clerk to record boundaries and alterations, 24. 
to distribute school blanks, 24. 
to furnish committee certificate of election, 
form of, 137. 

may engage all officers, 62. 
Town Treasurer to keep separate account of all school monies, 23. 
to furnish account to committee on their election, 23. 
to apply to Commissioner for State money, 84. 
form of certificate to obtain it, 84. 
to pay it to order of committee only, 6, 23. 
form of committee's order, 164. 
penalty for misappropriating, 64. 

of Charlestown to receive money for Indian school, 74. 
Town Council may choose committee in case, 85, 86. 
may fill vacancies in case, 86. 
member of may engage school officers, 62. 
Treasurer General, to pay order of Commissianer, 2. 
to invest forfeited money, 6, 

to pay money for Indian school to treasurer of Charlestown, 74. 
Treasurer town. See Town Treasurer. 
Treasurer of district. See District Treasurer. 
Trustees, one or three may be elected, 37. 
when elected, 26, 37. 
must be electors, 113. See Constitution, 
hold until successors appointed, 63. 
form of certificate of election, 137. 
should be engaged, 62. 
form of, 138. 
to receive no pay, 44. 
vacancy how filled, 37. 
if three, majority may act, 106. 
meetings of trustees, how called, 106. 
remarks on duties of, 107, fcc. 
to employ no one unless examined, 54, 107. 
must keep school at least four months, 21. 
neglecting to keep school, committee may do it, 38. 
form of contract with teacher, 142. 
to make returns to committee, 43, 99, 112. 
may require teacher to prepare them, 57. 
formof returns, 170. 



INDEX. 123 

The references are to the sections hi the margin. 

Trustees, importance of having full and correct returns, note to 170. 
to certify that teachers money has been rightly expended, 21. 
should keep inventory of district property, 111. 
to have custodj'^ of school house fexcept when committee keep 

the school) 40, 38. 
to notify committee when school begins, 40. 
duty to visit schools, 40. 

subjects for enquiry when visiting schools, 95. • 
may let scholars attend from other districts, 53. 
should exempt the poor from assessments, 59, 117. 
supply poor scholars with books at expense of district, 41. 
should encourage teachers to attend Institute and meetings, 110 
to notify district meetings, and how, 29, 30, 109. 
if refuses to notify, committee may do it, 27. 
may collect rate to keep four months school without vote of 

district, 59. 
to make out rate bills and assess taxes, 42. 
but all rates and taxes must be approved by committee, 59. 
to issue warrants to collector, 42. 
form of warrant, 156. 
need not give notice of assessing tax, 45. 
when to call on town asssssors, 45. 
town assessors to give ten days notice, 45. 
to deliver over papers to successor, 64. 
penalty for failure of duty, 64, 109. 

Union of districts, districts united to own all the property, 49. 
altered, property to be apportioned, 49. 
provision for union, 50, 51, 52, 122. 

Vacancy in committee, how filled, 18, 86. 

in trustees and district officers, 37, 115. 
Vail, Rev. Thomas H., 135. 
Visiting schools, duty of, 3, 15, 40. 

subjects of enquiry in, 95. 

committee may employ person to visit, 15. 
Voluntary incorporation of libraries and academies, 75, 135. 

forms for, 136. 
Vote of district, when can be rescinded, 46,119, 

form of heading, 146. 

to elect officers, 147. 

prescribing mode of notifying meetings, 148. 

to build or repair school house, 150. 

to lay a tax, 152. 

" " if not appealed from, final, 66, 

to devolve care of school on committee, 38, 149, 



124 INDEX. 

The references are to the sectio?is in the margin. 



Vote, to appoint agent or attorney to sign a deed, 162. 
" " " take a lease, 160. 

" " " execute building contract, 150. 

adopting a seal, 168. 

to form secondary district, 166. 

votes to be recorded on request and who voting, 32, 116. 

motions rejected should be recorded, 123. 
Voters, who are, 32, 113. 

who can vote on taxes or expending money, 32. 

lawful vote rejected, appeal, 116. 

qualified electors may be officers, 113. 

Warden in Jamestown and New Shoreham may engage officers, 62. 
Warrant or certificate of election of committee, 137. 

of district officers, 137. 

for collecting tax to be issued by trustees, 42, 156. 

for enforcing judgment against district, 69, 46. 
Westerly, special act of January, 1830, now repealed. 
Witnesses, inhabitants of districts may be, 71. 
Writs against district, how served, 70. 



lEPORT 

OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PITBLIC SCHOOLS. 



To the Honorahle General Assembly of the State of Rhode 
Island, <^c., January Session, A. D. 1850. 

The Commissioner of Public Schools respectfully pre- 
sents the following report : 

It is to be regretted that the abstract of the school 
returns, herewith presented, is so imperfect, but it is 
necessarily so, because a considerable portion of the 
town returns themselves are very incomplete. 

Few people seem to be aware of the value of correct 
statistical tables, and of the information to be derived 
from them. 

Different European nations have for years been en- 
deavoring to collect statistical information as to births, 
marriages, deaths, &c., with a view to show the effect of 
occupation, locality, age, sex, condition, and habits, upon 
the health, wealth, increase or decrease of crime, and 
general happiness of the people. In this country, Mas- 
sachusetts, foremost in this as in most other good works, 
has taken the lead in establishing a system of registra- 
tion. But little benefit has resulted from it as yet, be- 
cause the efforts of the State authorities have been 
thwarted by the neglect and indifference of those whose 
duty it was to make the returns. 

In regard to the subject of education, the efforts of 
those who are endeavoring to improve our schools would 
be materially aided by correct information as to the 
number of scholars, average attendance, ages, studies 
pursued, expense, fee, and it is absolutely necessary to 
sound legislation. 

In all of the towns in the State, excepting Providence, 
Newport, Bristol, and Warren, the schools are managed 
according to the district system. Nearly all the districts 
have organized and elected their officers under the pro- 
visions of the law. A few, from neglect to organize, 
still remain under the control of the town's committees. 



4 

which we can oniy hope for from an improved system, 
and in a long course of years. 

It is believed that the character and standard of »qual- 
ifications of our Rhode Island teachers have been greatly 
improved ; and to no point can our attention be more 
profitably directed than to this. In many parts of the 
State, where the schools are most backward, it will be 
found to result from the fact, that the people have not 
had the opportunity to know the difference between a 
good teacher and a poor one. Send a good teacher 
among them, and the people have good sense and shrewd- 
ness to appreciate his value, and to be willing to pay for 
his services. 

Our academies and high schools, in different parts of 
the State, have rendered great service in educating our 
young men for teachers, and in aiding to raise the stand- 
ard of qualification ; and thus, while all participate di- 
rectly or indirectly in the benefits derived from them, 
they are themselves deriving increased support and profit 
from the creneral desire and thirst for education which 
they aid in producing. 

And, in this connection, it may be well to consider, 
whether some arrangement may not be made by which 
the advantages now enjoyed by a few only, by means of 
the College, may be made more accessible to all, and 
may, in some measure, perhaps, supply the want of a 
Normal school for the more thorough training of teach- 
ers. Brown University already has a complete organi- 
zation, a good hbrary, buildings and officers, and an 
established reputation among collegiate institutions. It 
has been supported thus far entirely by private munifi- 
cence. To set up a new institution for the education 
of teachers, would require a large expenditure of money, 
trouble, and time. If, by any change of plan, provision 
could be made at the College for such as intend to be- 
come teachers, to obtain the knowledge necessary to 
qualify them for that office, at a moderate expense, it 
would be a great public benefit, and would increase the 
usefulness and influence of that institution. It would 
tend more and more to identify the interests of the Col- 
lege with the interests and honor of the State, and the 
College would then be, what it should be, the head and 
source of educational reform and progress in the State. 



As public libraries constitute an important part of the 
means of public instruction, it may be well to state, that 
it appears from a table prepared and published by my 
predecessor, that there are now in public libraries in this 
State, including the College, Athenaeum, and Redwood 
libraries, about 85,000 volumes. Nearly every town in 
the State has now a town or village library, for many of 
which we are indebted to the generosity of a single indi- 
vidual, x4masa Manton, Esq., of Providence. 

The present Commissioner would do injustice to his 
own feelings, if he should conclude without referring to 
the services rendered to the people of this State by his 
predecessor. During the six years he was amongst us, 
he labored incessantly in endeavoring to raise the char- 
acter of our teachers and our schools. He was the 
means, aided by the liberality of others, of establishing 
a large number of valuable school and town libraries. 
Under his advice and direction, most of the school- 
houses were erected, which are now the pride and orna- 
ment of the State. For his labors- and services, he is 
entitled to our warmest gratitude. 

Respectfully submitted, by 

E. R. POTTER, 
Commissioner of Public Schools. 



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7i t- H 



Table No. 2, accompanying the Report of the Commissioner 
of Pubhc Schools. 







^ 




o 

o 


WOUIB BE EEQUIKED TO RAISE IN 




•|3 


It 




n 








TOWSS. 




3 


.ij 


1 ^ 
3 




Ha 
o p 


C O 

o 


■i 




6 
a 




f*l 


fi^ 




S« 


a 


o 


PT 




ci 


^ 


a 




<i 


■a'. 


H 


(^ 


S 


S 


^ 


^ 


ProTideuce - 


§5,058 24 


«31,950 00 


*37,008 00 


$36,518 2£ 


«?9.265 


$7,723 1 $2,78f 


$8,109 


North Providonce 


982 8V 


717 02 


3.699 84 


3,699 84 


i;682 


l,40i 


504 


1^472 


SmithfieUi 


2,175 33 


3,205 31 


5,380 54 


7,687 14 


3,81S 


8,175 


1,144 


3.336 


Cumberland 


1.168 15 


2,181 42 


3,349 57 


2.489 39 


2,090 


1,741 


627 


i;828 


Scituate ... 


'963 16 


473 48 


1,436 60 


1,436 60 


1,636 


1,363 


49U 


1,431 


Cranston - - - 


681 31 


950 30 


1,631 61 


1,631 61 


1,160 


967 


348 


1,015 


Johnston . - - 


589 99 


598 80 


1,188 79 


1.3;57 61 


990 


825 


297 


866 


Qlocester - - - 


532 80 


280 00 




i;500 00 


921 


768 


276 


806 


i'oster 


543 34 


341 51 


884 85 


1,255 76 


872 


727 


261 


763 


Burrillville 


484 88 




885 63 


885 63 


792 


eec 


237 


693 




23.229 


19,357 


6,968 


20,325 


Newport 


1,766 02 


3,097 42 


5,463 44 


5,448 60 


3.333 


2,777 


999 


2,916 


Portsmouth - ' - 


374 49 


250 61 


625 12 


822 00 


682 


568 


204 


597 


jVIiddleto^vii - - - 


198 41 


196 30 


394 71 


394 71 


356 


.297 


106 


311 


Tiverton - 


808 77 


1,093 24 


1,902 01 


2,662 41 


1,273 


1,061 


381 


1,114 


I4ttle Compton 


323 24 


145 00 


468 24 


1,362 91 


530 


442 


159 


464 


New Shoreham 


281 19 


118 81 


400 00 


400 00 


427 


356 


128 


374 


Jamestown - 


66 36 


37 98 


104 34 


282 90 


146 


121 


43 


127 




6,749 


5.624 


2,024 


5,905 


J?outh Kingstown 


964 48 


977 30 


1,941 78 


1.871 36 


1,486 


1.239 


446 


1,300 
669 


^^■est«r]y - 


453 99 


1,393 01 


1,857 00 


1,857 00 


764 


'637 


229 


North liingstown 


666 85 


898 42 


1,065 27 


1.065 27 


1,163 


969 


359 


1,018 


ilxeter ... 


446 76 


148 92 


595 68 


595 68 


710 


592 


213 


621 


X^'harlestown - - - 


250 97 


83 65 


,334 62 


334 62 


369 


307 


lio 


323 


Jlopkinton 


422 45 


238 96 


661 01 


661 01 


690 


575 


207 


604 


Kichmond ... 


350 84 


829 99 


1,180 83 


1,180 83 


544 


453 


163 


476 




5,729 


4,774 


1,719 


5,013 


WarwicJr - . - 


i.556 43 


600 00 


2,306 56 


2,306 56 


2,690 


2,242 


807 


2,354 


Coventry 


817 97 


885 22 


1,193 19 


1.193 19 


1.373 


1,144 


411 


1,201 


lEast Greenwich - 


660 94 


295 74 


956 68 


956 68 


603 


508 


181 


528 


M est Greenwich 


337 04 


225 00 






566 


471 


169 495 




5,233 


4,361 


1,569 


4,578 


Bristol 


818 62 


1,924 03 


2.742 63 


3,322 78 


1,396 


1.163 


418 


1,221 


^Varren ... 


457 93 


1,006 50 


1,540 85 


1,373 78 


974 


'812 


292 


852 


Barrington 


126 80 


100 00 






219 


183 


65 


192 




25,330 63 


54,843 94 


81,199 39 


86,554 12 


2,590 


2,158 


775 


2,265 




43,532 


36,276 


13,059J , 


38,090 



^ 



Table No. 3, accompanying the Report of the Commissioner of 

Pubhc Schools. 



4 






1 









1 










STATE VALITATIOIf IN 


00 

a 

a 
.2 




ENGAGED IN 


"1 


■3 fl 


i 


TOWNS. 


1796. 


1822. 


1849. 


1 
"3 


1 

a 





1 


















3) 


i 


a_g_g 


§ 




n 


3 A 













P4 


< 





a 


i^ 


K.:) 


R 


i« 


Providence 


$2,950,000 


$9,500,000 


28,407,000 


23,171 


142 


929 


3,948 


422 


165 


11 


16 49 


780 


North Providence 


380,000 


1,250,000 


2,974,000 


4,207 


402 


22 


1,025 


15 


15 


2 




21 


Smithfleld 


758,523 


1,800,000 


4,601,000 


9,534 


3,419 




6,071 


15 


23 


4 


2 6 


19 


Cumberland - 


a50,000 


870,000 


2,833,000 


5,225 


684 


23 


i;284 


5 


18 


1 


1 4 


13 


Scituate - 


479,543 


9.50,000 


1,674,000 


4,090 


828 


9 


'932 


6 


18 




8 


160 


Cranston 


490.000 


1,000,000 


2,016,000 


2,902 


552 


6 


457 


19 


12 


1 


1 5 


6 


Johnston 


330;000 


640,000 


1,011,000 


2,477 


213 


27 


78 




3 




8 




Glocester 


721,657 


680.000 


937,000 


2.304 


598 


13 


168 




7 


1 


4 


3 


Foster 


320,000 


6.30,000 


583,000 


2.181 


1,088 




175 


2 


5 


9 


4 7 


44 


BurriUville . 




650,000 


1,117,000 


1,982 


522 


13 


164 




3 


2 
31 


3 


13 




6,779,723 


17,970,000 


46,153,000 


58,073 


8,448 


1,042 


14,302 


484 


269 


24 94 


1,059 


Newport - 


1,450,000 


2,000.000 


4,247,000 


8,333 


1.31 


50 


1,089 


311 


30 


8 


9 34 


62 


Portsmouth - 


450.000 


800;000 


1,092,000 


1,706 


491 


7 


61 


6 


9 


8 


18 


2 


IHiddletown 


324,000 


450.000 


783'000 


891 


343 


2 


16 


5 


1 




2 


1 


Tiverton 


520,000 


790;000 


1,776,000 


3.183 


315 


19 


835 


84 


15 


1 


3 5 


17 


Little Oompton - 


325,000 


500,000 


'863,000 


1,327 


305 


3 


17 


13 


7 




1 2 




New Shoreham 


130,000 


190,000 


177,000 


1,069 


131 






31 4 


4 


2 5 


33 


Jamestown 


224,484 


350,000 


286,000 


365 


139 


1 


9 




1 


6 






3,423,484 


5,080,000 


9,224,000 


16,874 


1,855 


82 


1,527 


450 66 


22 


15 67 


115 


South Kingstown 


720,000 


1,100,000 


1,414,000 


3,717 


1,09S 


46 


174 


5* 19 


1 


3 9 


54 


Westerly - 


370,000 


470,OOC 


779;000 


1,912 


387 


25 


193 


43 6 


2 


1 7 


27 


North Kingstown 


490,000 


870;00l 


1,196,000 


2.909 


53(j 


10 


402 


28 ,11 


5 


3 


1 


Exeter 


SHO,i)00 


600;000 


574:000 


1,776 


614 




99 




9 


4 1 


14 


Charlestown - 


28o!u00 


3o0;000 


27i;000 


923 


285 


2 


30 


2 2 


2 


1 


8 


Hopkinton 


350,000 


470,000 


614,0f« 


1,726 


416 


7 


204 


4I 4 




3 1 


6 


Kichmond - 


210,000 


300,000 


572,000 


1,361 


319 




238 


li 6 


19 


1 2 


7 




2,780,000 


4,160,000 


5,420,000 


14,324 


3,655 


90 


1,340 


83 48 


12 24 


117 


Warwick - 


605.000 


1,300,000 


2,924,000 


6,726 


652 


3] 2,490 


21 18 


1 


1 6 


20 


Coventry 


330,000 


900,000 


1,383,000 


3,433 


619 




796 


2 5 


2 


3 9 


200 


East Greenwich - 


280,000 


480,000 


738,000 


1,509 


322 


13 


117 


14; 16 


1 


6 8 


7 


West Greenwich 


280,000 


460,000 


455,000 


1,415 


496 




108 




2 




1 7 


92 




1,495,000 


3,120,000 


5,500,000 


13,083 


2,089 


16 


3,511 


37 


41 


4 


11 30 


319 


Bristol 


600,000 


1,-500,000 


2.368,000 


3,490 


358 


44 


426 


180 


16 




2 1 




Warren 


311,790 


■620;000 


1,280,000 


2,437 


92 


72 


157 


483 


16 


1 




4 


Barrington 


110,000 


190,00C 


345,000 


549 


120 


2 


8 




1 


1 

77 








1,021,790 


2,310,00C 


3,993,00c 


6,476 


571. 


118 


591 


663! 33 

1 


2 1 


4 




15,500,000 


32,640,000 


70,290,000 


108,8ai 


16,617 


1,-348 


21,271 


1,717 457 


64 216 


1,614 






Railroad 


441,400 




















70,731,400 




1 





REPORT 

OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 



To THE Hon. General Assembly — 

The Commissioner of Public Schools herewith pre- 
sents the abstract of the returns of the public schools, 
required by law. 

These returns are almost necessarily imperfect. Those 
only, who have had some experience in examining statis- 
tical statements, can understand the difficulties of obtain- 
ing complete and accurate information. It seems almost 
impossible to devise forms or questions not capable of 
being understood differently by different persons. 

It gives me pleasure to be able to state that every 
town has this year voted the necessary amount of tax to 
receive their proportion of the school appropriation 
from the state treasury. The annexed tables will give 
the amount, appropriated by each town for this purpose, 
and will also show how much each town raises more 
than is required by law. 

The last year, it will be recollected, there was an ad- 
dition of ^10,000, to the State appropriation. The effect 
of the increased expenditure by the State and towns, 
should be seen in a decided improvement in the condi- 
tion of our schools. We have done much to improve 
our school houses, and, in some parts of the State, much 
has been done to raise the standard of qualification 
for teachers. But, in some towns and districts there is 
still a great deficiency. Good houses and expenditure 
of money will avail but little without good teachers, 
and a town will not be likely to have good teachers, 
unless they require a strict examination, unless they 
choose a committee capable of performing this duty, and 
give them to understand that they will support them in 
the faithful discharge of it. 



During the last autumn three Teachers' Institutes 
have been held ; one at Pawtucket, one at Little Comp- 
ton, and one at Wickford. At the first named place the 
attendance was large ; at Little Compton as many were 
present as could be expected, considering the means of 
access ; but at Wickford the commissioner regrets that 
he is obliged to say that the number present was small, 
and very few from that part of the State which it was 
expressly designed to accommodate. While the State is 
at the expense of supporting these interests, it is to be 
hoped that the people will more and more realize their 
importance, and that committees and trustees will urge 
their teachers to attend them. No teacher should be 
employed in any country district who has not attended 
one or more of them. 

There is now great interest felt by the best of our 
teachers, and by the public generally, in all measures 
adapted to improve the condition and qualification of 
our teachers generally. Without a good teacher, all 
other expenditure of money and time is almost useless. 

One of the means that has been suggested for this 
purpose is, the establishment of a Normal School. 

By a Normal School is generally understood a school 
or academy for the education of teachers with a special 
view to teaching, and with provision in most of them 
for the gratuitous instruction of such as intend to 
make a business of teaching. 

Such a school may be designed to admit those who 
intend to become teachers, and to give them instruction 
in the elementary branches from the beginning, or 
another plan may be adopted, to require of all who 
come a certain degree of proficiency in the prescribed 
studies, and then to review them in connexion with in- 
struction in the best modes of teaching, and with prac- 
tice in model schools. The latter seems to approach 
nearest to our idea of what a Normal School should be. 

To the first plan there is this serious objection. The 
State would educate gratuitously persons for teach- 
ers, but would have, and from the nature of the case 
could have, but little security that these persons when 
educated would devote themselves to the improvement 
of the schools for any length of time. In Europe it re- 



3 

suits from the state of society that the teachers' profes- 
sion is generally followed through life. But in this 
country the inducements offered to persons, who from 
their ability would make good teachers, to quit that pro- 
fession for others are too strong to be easily resisted. 
And in most cases the teacher follows that occupation 
only until some opportunity offers which seems to open 
to him a way to political distinction, or a chance of 
gaining wealth beyond what his teacher's profession 
would afford. 

A well qualified teacher, and one who intends to make 
a business of it, will be desirous of permanent employ- 
ment. This the greater part of our country districts, 
where schools are kept a portion of the year, cannot 
give him. 

Our late Commissioner, Mr. Barnard, is now publish- 
ing a work on the subject of Normal Schools, which will 
contain the results of his long and varied experience, 
and a full collection of documents, giving a history of 
these schools in Europe and this country. By examin- 
ing the different plans on which the different schools 
have been conducted, we shall be able to select from 
them whatever is adapted to our peculiar situation. And 
as the question will continue to be agitated amongst us, 
it is very desirable that a work containing this full 
information should be generally distributed, and accessi- 
ble to all the friends of education here. 

There is one subject to which the attention of the 
people in many parts of the State should be earnestly in- 
vited — the formation of Union Districts. Many of our 
villages arc so situated that they are divided not only 
between different districts but between ditferent towns. 
In all of these cases it would be for the advantage of the 
people to unite the districts, by which they would be 
enabled to keep a school for a larger time and employ 
more teachers, and divide the scholars according to age 
aud proficiency. At Pawcatuck Bridge, Wickford, aud 
Woonsocket, the districts have been consolidated, and the 
schools graded. And there are many villages on streams 
which divide towns, which could be united into one dis- 
trict to their great benefit. The importance of this sub- 
ject demands that it should be kept in view, and there is 



no way in which more can be done for education in these 
neighborhoods, than promoting the formation of these 
union districts. 

In the greater part of our manufacturing villages 
evening schools might be established with great advan- 
tage. Almost all the scholars are taken out of our 
schools as soon as they are old enough to do any thing 
for the support of themselves or their parents ; and very 
often they are made to work for their parents for the sole 
advantage of the parents, and with as little consideration 
for the good of the children as if they were held as prop- 
erty by law. Besides, there is a large number of our 
own people, native and foreign born, who have never 
been at any school at all. For all these, evening schools 
afford the only opportunity for obtaining even that ordi- 
nary education, which is necessary to qualify them for 
the discharge of the common duties of life. 

In view of the revision of our school laws, which will 
probably soon take place, it may be well to consider 
whether any mode of distributing the public money can 
be devised by whicli towns and districts Avhere the popu- 
lation is small and scattered cqji be aided. At present, 
children in the merely agricultural and thinly populated 
districts, have few advantages for education, compared 
with those in the more thickly settled portions of the 
State. The inequality could not perhaps be entirely done 
away by any mode of distribution which would probably 
be adopted, yet it is worthy of consideration whether 
something may not be done to assist them. 

By the act passed at the January session A. D. 1850, 
providing for a system of registration of births, deaths 
and marriages, it was made the duty of the officers of 
school districts to make certain returns, and to co-operate 
in carrying out its object. It is believed that the law is 
essentially defective, and that unless amended the statis- 
tics obtained will be very imperfect, and of little \a\ue. 

There are two objects to be attained by registration — 
one to secure a record in the town which should be per- 
manent evidence of the facts recorded ; the other to se- 
cure returns or abstracts of these to be made to the leg- 
islature for general information and scientific purposes. 
The first of these objects is the more important. 



It is supposed that the law may be so amended as to 
effect both objects with but little additional expense, as 
the blanks already distributed would probably answer 
without alteration. The probability of obtaining coi*rect 
returns would probably be increased by paying the per- 
sons making them a reasonable compensation for their 
services out of the State treasury. 

Respectfully submitted, 

E. R. POTTER. 

Providence, Jan. 25, 1851. 



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Table No. 2, accompanying the Report of the Commissioner of 

Public Schools. 





RECEIVED. 




OS 


1 






C3 








o 
Mi . 


TOWNS. 


i 


c 


S 






■6 

IS 




II 




a 


a 




'to 


"a 
o 


a 

p. 


6 ^ 






o 




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H 


w 


> 


^ 


Providenoe - 


S7,081 53 


$29,926 02 




354 35 


$37,361 90 .$37,31)1 90 




$0717 00 


North-Providence 


1,376 01 


2,500 00 




308 98 


4,184 99 
8.669 21 


4,184 69 


3500 00 


150 00 


Smithfield - 


3,045 46 


3.000 00 


2,200 75 


423 00 


8.743 46 


3000 00 


1675 00 


Cumberland 


1,635 41 


2,128 00 




132 15 


3,767 56 


3,899 96 


2000 00 


1842 38 


Scituate - 


1.348 42 


321 06 




204 96 


1,874 44 


1,874 44 


32106 


827 00 


Cranston 


1,226 24 


800 00 




295 45 


2,321 79 


1,640 49 


800 00 


1220 00 


Johnston 


825 97 


500 00 




130 20 


1.456 17 


1.456 17 


500 00 




Glocester - - - 


745 92 


200 00 


204 76 


54 91 


1,205 59 


992 47 


200 00 


450 00 


Foster 


760 77 


181 11 


327 40 


52 50 


1,321 68 


1,234 90 


18111 


605 00 


BurrUlville 


678 82 












400 00 


394 00 


Newport 


2,482 42 


3,000 00 


521 32 


197 56 


6,191 30 


5.694 82 


3500 00 


558 29 


Portsmouth 


374 49 


150 00 


949 51 


157 00 


1,631 00 


i;631 00 


200 00 




Middletown . 


356 36 


150 00 


274 75 


17 00 


798 11 


718 75 


150 00 




Tiyerton - 


1,132 27 


1,500 00 


526 00 


90 16 


3.247 43 


3.247 43 1500 00 




Little-Compton 


452 50 


120 00 


908 47 


19 00 


1,500 00 


1.500 00 


200 00 


55 00 


New-Shoreham - 




100 00 














Jamestown . - - 


92 90 


23 00 


187 37 


12 23 


289 10 


289 16 


23 00 




South. Kingstown 


1.350 27 


325 00 


189 21 


* 341 97 


2.329 55 


2,329 55 


460 00 




Westerly 


635 58 


200 00 


800 00 


20 71 


1,656 29 


1,854 00 


200 00 


85 00 


North. Kingstown 


933 59 


225 00 


360 36 


94 77 


1,610 72 


1,560 02 


300 00 




Exeter 


625 76 


148 92 


21 86 


166 17 


962 71 


704 14 


148 92 




Charlestown 


351 35 


83 65 




119 60 


554 60 


481 87 


83 65 




Hopkinton - 


591 43 


140 81 


5 08 


50 00 


787 32 


787 32 


140 81 


1084 00 


Richmond 


491 16 


120 00 


546 89 


143 94 


1,301 89 


1,301 89 


120 00 




Warwick ... 


2,178 99 


650 00 


145 40 


142 04 


3,116 43 


3,206 43 


600 00 


90 00 


Coventry 


1,145 15 


272 66 


204 87 


112 54 


1,735 22 


i;521 70 


272 66 




East. Greenwich 


465 18 


150 00 


40 00 


49 00 


704 18 


704 IS 


115 00 


5 14 


West-Greenwich . 














112 34 




Bristol 


1,146 06 


2,217 56 


550 00 




3.913 62 


3,907 45 


2250 00 


asoo 00 


Warren - 


641 13 


1.000 00 




210 33 


1,851 46 


1,893 85 


1.300 00 




Barrington ... 


177 57 


'200 00 


186 08 


5 57 


569 22 


569 22 


200 00 


18 00 



* 250 from fund. 



Table No. 3, accompanying the Eeport of the Commissioner of 

Public Schools. 



TOVS-NS. 



c c 
.2 s 

•<co o 



STATISTICS FROM NEW CENSUS. 



-«! & 



Providence 

North-Providence 

Smitlifield 

Cumberland 

Scituate 

Cranston 

Johnston - 

Glocester 

Foster 

Burrillville 



Newport 

Portsmouth 

Middletown 

Tiverton 

Little-Compton 

New-Shoreham 

Jamestown 



South-Kingstown 

Westerly 

North-Kingstown 

Exeter 

Charles town 

Hopkinton 

liichmond 



Warwick 
Coventry 
East-Greenwich 
West-Greenwicli 



Bristol 
Warren 
Earriuirton 



9.n6.05 

1.857.50 

2.759.19 

1.578.87 

1 026.74 

1.115.96 

752.51 

623.80 

475.35 

865.86 



2.122.23 

449.02 
189.41 
1.302.44 
356.87 
869.31 
67.28 



961.66 
663.29 
711.56 
432.20 
247.18 
655.24 
418.30 



1.755.86 
!?41.00 
544.82 
324.70 



1.080.80 
583.31 
148.45 



9.150 

1.743 

2.701 

1.472 

1.021 

1.072 

751 

593 

457 

822 



2.102 
448 
178 

1.274 

388 

382 

62 



952 
649 
715 
407 
252 
660 
416 



1.793 
841 
563 
311 



1.074 
567 
143 

33 959 



4.136 
797 

1.072 
687 
383 
454 
278 
260 
193 
362 



800 
16() 

81 
507 
100 
123 

30 



363 I 

258 : 

258 ' 
184 
86 i 
23G i 
156 



608 
309 
182 
133 



404 

232 

60 

13.898 



13.286 
2.540 
3.773 
2.159 
1.404 
1.526 
1.029 
853 
650 
1.184 



2.902 
614 
259 

1.781 

488 
505 
92 



1.315 

907 
973 
591 



572 



2.401 
1.150 

745 
444 



1.478 6 
799 4 
2(13 



47.857 



1081 68 



233 



6.705 

13.10 

2.281 

1.234 

995 

869 

617 

691 

495 

845 



1.556 

442 
163 
1.208 
503 
402 
69 



929 
534 
778 
406 
243 
691 
363 



1.385 
213 
511 

201 



995 
555 
142 

28.331 



879 

433 

469 

301 

65 

91 

3 

66 

18 

92 



212 

31 

1 

309 



71 
40 
111 

42 
13 

30 
9 



141 

43 

1 

3744 



RHODE ISLAND 

EDUCATIONAL MAGAZINE. 

VOL. I. PROVIDENCE, FEB. AND MARCH, 1852. NOS. 2 & 3- 

REPORT 

OF THE 

COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 



To THE Honorable General Assembly : 

The subscriber herewith presents the abstracts of the returns 
of the Public Schools, for the year ending May, A. D. 1S51. 

By these returns it appears that the number of children at- 
tending school was — 

Males - - - - - 14,133 

Females . . - . ] 2,521 



Total - - - 26,654 

The amount of money received and expended, was — 

Received from the State Treasury, ^35,167 59 

Raised by towns, 55,488 69 

Raised by assessments on scholars, 10,075 39 

Received from the registry tax which is ) ^ ^^~ orv 
appropriated by law to schools, \ o,64^ 6(1 

Unexpended of last year's money, 3,235 17 

Total, - - - $110,294 14 



Expended for support of schools, $94,471 96 

It further appears that there was expended for the erection' 
and repairs of school houses during that year, $23,902 80. 

Of the thirty-one townships into which the State is divided, 
four, viz : Providence, Newport, Bristol and. Warren, are not 



142 SCHOOL commissioner's report. 

divided into corporate districts, and in these the whole man- 
agement of the schools is mider the care of the town's com- 
mittees, or superintendents. 

One town, viz : East Greenwich, is divided into districts, 
but the school houses were provided for all the districts at the 
expense of the town under the provision of law authorizing it. 

The remainder of the towns are divided into districts which 
by the law are authorized to organize themselves as corporate 
bodies, and nearly all of the districts have availed themselves 
of this right, and regulate their own affairs, subject to such 
rules and regulations as may be made by the town's commit- 
tees. 

It will also appear from the returns, that nearly all these 
districts have school houses belonging to the district as their 
corporate property. Very few of the districts now depend up- 
on the old proprietors' school houses. In many cases they 
have been purchased by the district and repaired. The work 
of building and repairing is still going on, and every year adds 
to the number of good comfortable school houses in our coun- 
try districts. 

The whole number of teachers employed in the public 
schools for the year ending May, 1851, was — 

Males, - - - - 256 

Females, _ . _ . 313 



Total, - - - 569 

It is gratifying to perceive from the returns, that the preju- 
dice which formerly existed against the employment of female 
teachers, seems to be dying away. The same result has been 
experienced in other States. In Massachusetts, the number of 
female teachers employed, increased from 3.591, in 1837, to 
4,997 in 1845. If school officers and parents support the schools 
as they ought, female teachers would find no difficulty in gov- 
ernins; them.* 



♦Note — The following excellent remarks of Bishop Potter, on the advantages of 
employing female teachers, are from the " School and School Master." 

Frequent change nf Teachers. — Thie is a subject of almost universal complaint. — 
The evil arose, at first, from the fact that schools were kept open but a part of each 
year; and more recently, it has resulted from the prevailing practice of hiring male 
teachers in winter, and females in summer. 

It is impossible to overrate the evils of such a course. The business of education 
is essentially progressive. It consists of a series of processes, the latter dcpendmg 
•upon the earlier, and requiring, therefore, to be conducted, within certain limits, on 
the same principles, and by the same methods. But, in the present stale of our 
schools hardly any two teachers have the same methods. No opportunity is afforded 
the one who succeeds to become acquainted with the state of the school, and with 
the methods of his predecessor, by actual observation. The one has gone, before the 
Other arrives. He enters the school, a stranger to the children and to their pa.-ents, 



DEAF AND DUMB. 143 



DEAF AND DUMB. 

The following are the names of the persons who have re- 
ceived the benefit of the appropriation from its commence- 
ment : 

Age when 

admitted. Entered. Left. 

Fanny Lamphear, Hopkinton, 26, May, 1845, May, 1846. 

Abigail Slocum, Portsmouth, 25, May, 1845, May, 1847. 

Peleg Slocum, Portsmouth, 20, May, 1845, May, 1847. 

Mary E. Slocum, Portsmouth, 14, May, 1845, May, 1847. 

James Budlong, Warwick, 20, Aug. 1845. May, 1847. 

Charles H. Steere, Glocester, 15, May, 1846, May, 1850. 

Phebe A. Winsor, Johnston, 8, May, 1846. 

John W. Davenport, Tiverton, 13, May, 1847. 

Samuel W. Thompson, Glocester, 11, May, 1847. 

Mary E. Tanner, Coventry, 10, May, 1847. 

Minerva Mowry, Smithfield, 13, May, 1848, May, 1851. 

Samuel G. Greene, Hopkinton, 11, July, 1849, Aug. 1851. 

George Gavit, Westerly, 10, May, 1850. 

The orders on the General Treasurer for their support have 
been — 

June 27, 1846, $479 17 

August 21, 1S47, 600 GO 

June 30, 1848. 450 00 

January 28, 1850, 933 33 

January 2 1.1851, 70000 

Decem. 21, 1851, 625 00 



Total, $3,787 50 



unacquainted with the relative prosperity and aptitude of the different scholars, ig- 
norant of the course which was pursued by former teachers, and with the prospect, 
probably, of retiring himself, at the end of three or four months. Is it not evident 
that the progress of the school must be arrested, until he can learn his position 1 As 
each teacher is apt to be tenacious of his own system, is it not also evident that after 
having arrested the work which his predecessor began, he will in many cases, pro- 
ceed to undo it 1 Thus the children wLM often spend the whole period of his stay, 
in retracing their studies in a new book, or according to a new method. There will 
be movement, but no progress. 

The effect, on the teacher, must be equally bad. This practice makes him, in truth, 
little better than a vagrant. He can have no fixed residence, since the period for 
whish he engages is never over a year and rarely over four months ; and even, in 
these cases, it is liable to be curtailed by the caprice of his employers or the arbitrary 
interference of the trustees. He of course cannot marry. He has little ambition to 
form a character ; his employment occupies without improving him; and, in most 
cases, he either hastens to leave it, or becomes a contented but useless drone. Can 
we wonder that there are few good teachers under such a system. 

Is there any remedy for such an evil? We believe there is. The apology for this 
constant change is, that the district cannot support a good male teacher, throughout 
the year. They must either close the school during the summer or have it taught 
by a female. Then we say, let it be taught by a female throughout the year. The 



144 DEAF AND DUMB, 

The beneficiaries of this State have been sent to the "Amer- 
ican Asylum at Hartford, for the Education and Instruction 
of the Deaf and Dumb." The time for admission of pupils is 
the third Wednesday of September, in every year. The 
charge is $100 per annum. In case of sickness, extra charges 
are made. Persons applying for admission, must be between 
the ages of eight and twenty-five years ; must be of good nat- 
ural intellect, capable of forming and joining letters with a 
pen legibly and correctly ; free from immoralities of conduct 
and from contagious disease. The charge for board includes 
washing, fuel, lights, stationery and tuition. No deductions 
are made for absence, except on account of sickness. 



sum which is now divided between the two teachers would pay a female handsomely 
for the whole year, and thus supersede the necessity of closing the school at allj ex- 
cept for a vacation of three or four weeks. 

The advantages of the course would be various. 1st. It would give to the schol- 
ars the advantage of having the same instructress throughout one entire year at 
least ; and if she proved worthy of the charge, she could hardly fail during that time 
so to enlist the affections of the children, the good will of the parents and the confi- 
dence of the trustees, as to be secure of a renewed engagement. Thus we should 
gradually return to the good old practice of permanent schools, under permanent in- 
structors. 

2d. It would be a cheap system. The best qualified female teachers in common 
schools, would be glad to accept what is now paid to men of the poorest capacity. 

3d. It would secure teachers of higher intellectual capacity and qualification. — 
Women have a native tact in the management of very young minds, which is rarely- 
possessed by men. The prospect also of permanent employment at a fair rate of 
compensation, would inducemany young women of narrow means to prepare them- 
selves for teaching ; and it will hardly be disputed that with limited opportunities as 
to time and money, they would make greater proficiency in knowledge and the art 
of teaching, than young men having only the same opportunities. It should be con- 
sidered also that the prospect of profitable employment would awaken competition, 
and in this way higher qualifications would be secured. 

4th. It would furnish a desirable resource and a useful as well as respectable mode 
of life to many females, who are cast upon the world without property. 

5th. It would conduce to the improvement of manners and morals in schools, 
since females attach more importance to these than men : and they liave a peculiar 
power of awakening the sympathies of children, and inspiring them with a desire to 
excel. 

6th. It would diminish the number of select schools, since many of these are 
taught by women, whose services would then be required in common schools ; and 
these schools would also be less necessary, than at present, for very young children. 

But can you propose, seriously (some one will say,) that timid and dehcate 
women should retain charge, through the winter, of country schools, in which large 
and rude boys are congregated '? 

This forms the only objection, which can be plausibly urged against this plan, 
and it is one which deserves full and respectful consideration. I would remark in 
regard to it, 

Isf. That it is by no means so formidable as it might appear at first thought. It 
is now admitted that in the government of schools, moral influence should be sub- 
stituted, as far as possible, in place of mere coercion, and that corporeal punishment 
should be reserved for young children, and be applied but very rarely even to thenff. 
It is admitted, too, that the teacher ought to aim, first of all, to cultivate the higher 
sentiments of our nature, to awaken self-respect, and to induce the child to become 
a law to himself. If this be true (and few will be disposed to question it,) then it 
must follow that women, are in most respects, pre-eminently qualified to administer 
such a discipline. Their very dehcacy and helplessness give them a peculiar claim 
to deference and respectful consideration J and this claim large boys, who are as- 



THE BLIND. 



145 



Left. 



THE BLIND. 

The following persons have received the benefit of our State 
appropriation for the blind : — - 

Entered. 
William Hatch, Bristol, January, 1845, 

Oliver Caswell, Jamestown, January, 1845, 

Elizabeth Eddy, Warren, January, 1845, 

Charles Coddmgton, Newport, March^ 1846, 

Maria Dunham, Newport, March, 1846, 

Marcia Thurber, Providence, June, 1846, 

Alexander Kenyon, S. Kingstown, October, 1847, 
William TalJowfield, Providence, Novem. 1849, 
James H. Graham, Newport, May, 1850. 

Elizabeth Dennely, S. Kingstown, October, 1S51. 



January, 1S5L 

January, 1848. 



June, 1847. 
Novem. 1850. 



The payments on account have been — 

.Tune 13, 1848, $1,100 GO 

February 15, 1850, 950 00 

December 1, 185 J, 1,500 00 

Total, $3,550 00 

The beneficiaries of this State have heretofore been sent to 
the Perkins Institution and Massachusetts Asylum for the 
Blind, at Boston. The charge at that Institution is $160 per 
annum, which covers board, washing, medicine, use of books, 
musical instruments, and all expenses except clothing and 
travelling expenses. Pupils must be under fifteen when ad- 



piring to be men, can hardly fail to recognize. I need not add that they are honora- 
bly distinguished from the other sex by warm affections, by greater faith in human 
nature, and in its capacity for good, and by disinterested and untiring zeal in behalf 
of objects that they love. Says the present chief magistrate of this State, (Gov. 
Seward of New York,) "He it seems to me is a dull observer, who has not learned 
that it was the intention of the Creator to commit to them a higher and greater por- 
tion of responsibility in the education of youth of both sexes. They are the natural 
guardians of the young. Their abstraction from the engrossing cares of life affords 
them leisure both to acquire and communicate knowledge. From them the young 
more willingly receive it, because the severity of discipline is relieved with greater 
tenderness and affections, while their more quick apprehension, enduring patience, 
expansive benevolence, higher purity, more delicate taste, and elevated moral feel- 
ing, qualify them for excellence in all departments of learning, except, perhaps the 
exact sciences. If this be true, how many a repulsive, bigoted, and indolent pro- 
lessor will, in the general improvement of education, be compelled to resign his claim 
to modest, assiduous and affectionate woman. And how many conceited preten- 
ders, who may wield the rod in our common schools, without the knowledge of hu- 
man nature requisite for its discreet exercise, too indolent to improve, and too proud 
to discharge their responsible duties, will be driven to seek subsistence elsewhere,'' 
— School and Schoolmaster. 

" A man may keep a difficult school by means of authority and physical force : a 
woman can do it only by dignity of character, affection, and such a superiority in 
attainment, as is too conspicuous to be questioned.— i/orace Mann. 



146 IDIOTS AND IMBECILES. 

mitted, and of good character ; free from epilepsy or any con- 
tagious disease ; and the friends of the apphcant are required 
to answer certain queries respecting his age, and the cause and 
degree of his bhndness, and to furnish an obHgation that when 
discharged he shall be removed without expense to the Insti- 
tution. If possible, pupils should be taught the letters before 
going to the Institution, Books in raised letters for the blind, 
can be procured there. 

IDIOTS AND IMBECILES. 

The only person who has yet received the benefit of this 
appropriation, is James Lee, of Providence. The sum of $200 
has been paid to the Institution at Boston, for his support from 
October, 1850, to October, 1852, by an order on our Treasury, 
dated December 21, 1851. Two others have lately been 
placed upon the list, but no payments yet made on their ac- 
count. 

Appended to this report will be found the number of the In- 
sane, Idiots, Deaf and Dumb, and Blind, in every town, taken 
from the census. The number of these, however, as reported 
by Thomas R. Hazard, Esq., who, under authority of the 
Legislature, examined into the subject, is much greater, viz : 

Number of Insane in the State, 282 

Idiots, 136 

Blind, 60 

Deaf and Dumb, 64 

Of the insane and idiots, Mr. Hazard found one half in the 
condition of paupers, dependent upon the towns for support. — 
But it is believed that even Mr. Hazard's enumeration is not 
complete. Families are sometimes unwilling to have misfor- 
tunes like these exposed to the public. The census takers, 
perhaps, do not always enquire for them, and sometimes their 
enquiries may have been evaded. 

The thorough revision and codification of our School laws 
made the past year, it is believed will have a very favorable 
etfect. The principal changes are such as are calculated to 
facilitate the collection of school taxes, and to remove doubts 
and ambiguities which had arisen relating to construction. — 
The ambiguity of some provisions, and the difficulty of col- 
lecing a tax, were calculated to produce frequent lawsuits, 
and these often led to frequent quarrels in a district, resulting 
in great injury to the schools. It is believed, that under the 
new law, there will be less opportunity for these hereafter. — 



REMARKS ON THE NEW SCHOOL LAW. 147 

Otherwise the new law is principally a condensing and con- 
solidation of ihe old ones. 

Althongh in revising our school laws, we have had the ben- 
efit of several years experience under our last law, and of 
the suggestions and criticisms of many friends of education in 
different parts of the State, and it was for two years before the 
Legislature, examined by committees and amended at various 
times by both houses, yet we are not to expect perfection in 
it. It seems almost impossible for human ingenuity to frame 
a law which shall be free from all ambiguity. The law is ne- 
cessarily a long one, resulting from the various circumstances 
of different sections of the State, for all of which it was neces- 
sary to provide; but the index accompanying it is believed to 
be very complete, so that any one may find any part ot it 
without difficulty. The law, in conformity to a resolution of 
the Legislature, was immediately published. It was accom- 
panied with very full notes and remarks on the duties of dif- 
ferent officers under it, and the proper manner of performing 
them, and with forms for transacting all ordinary school busi- 
ness. It is believed that these remarks and forms have been, 
and will continue to be, the means of preventing much litiga- 
tion. 

The provision in the law by which the Commissioner is 
authorized to hear appeals and decide disputed cases, has also 
tended materially to diminish the number of lawsuits. These 
cases of appeal have been quite numerous, and have been de- 
cided as the law reqmres, without cost to the parties. The 
members of the bar have rendered important service to the 
cause of education, by discouraging litigation in cases growing 
out of the school law. 

A revision of our general law for the assessing and collec- 
tion of taxes, would contribute much towards preventing of 
difficulties in school districts. 

Many of the towns have appointed superintendents, or some 
one person to perform the duty of visiting the schools. This 
duty, if divided among a large committee, is seldom attended 
to : and even if not neglected, it cannot be so well done as by 
a single person. 

By a provision in our new law, school committees are au- 
thorized to cause their reports to be printed. It is desirable 
that the committee in every town should avail themselves of 
this right. A full statement of the expenditures of school 
moneys, an account of all the schools, with remarks upon the 
school houses, the teachers, their qualifications and mode of 
teaching, should be printed and placed in every dwelling house 
in the town. It would tend to keep up interest in the schools. 



148 MEANS OF lEPROVING THE SCHOOLS. 

and to awaken interest in some quarters where they are now 
neglected. 

MEANS OF IMPROVING THE SCHOOLS. 

It is interesting to look back upon the condition of our 
schools a few years ago, and consider what a great change has 
been wrought amongst us. A few years since, we were in a 
state of comparative indifference to education — at least a large 
portion of the community was so. Now, we see everywhere 
the evidences of increasing interest. Nearly all our villages 
and the greater part of our country districts have been supplied 
with new and improved school houses. Efforts are generally 
made to secure better qualified teachers, and meetings of teach- 
ers and of parents are held to aid and encourage each other in 
this good work. 

But of all the means designed to promote the cause of sound 
education, there is none more important than the improvement 
of the teachers themselves. We may build fine school houses 
and collect the children together in them. If the teacher is 
not what he ought to be, all previous trouble and expense is 
thrown away. They will be as a body without a soul. On 
the other hand, we may have poor school houses and a poor 
and uneducated people ; send the good teacher among them, 
and his influence is soon felt. As is the teacher, so is the 
school. 

It is a serious truth, that there are many sections of our coun- 
try, and perhaps some districts in all parts of the State, where 
the great body of the people do not seem to know the differ- 
ence between a poor school and a good one. They have been 
so long taught by the dunces who have been sent among us 
from abroad, and who took a school because they could do 
nothing else, or came here to keep school because they could 
not get one where they were better known, that they have 
no idea of anything better than what they have been used 
to. 

Now what is wanted in such places ? First of all, there 

ust be a feeling of deficiency, and a desire to improve. Then 
they should not only choose a good school committee, but 
should let them understand that they are to be supported in 
making strict examinations, in rejecting the poor teachers — 
however many friends they may have — and in raising the 
standard of qualification. There Eire some powers belonging 
to school committees, such as settling of district boundaries, 
location of school houses, &c., about the exercise of which, 
there may be an allowable difference of opinion : but, about 



MEANS OF IMPROVING THE SCHOOLS. 149 

this, the requiring of strict examinations, there should be but 
one opinion. Even when there is a well qualified committee, 
difficulty frequently arises from their endeavouring to accom- 
modate themselves to circumstances and the state of popular 
feeling, from lowering the standard to suit some particular 
district where the candidate proposes to keep. Of course, dis- 
cretion is always to be used, but it were as well, perhaj)s bet- 
ter, that some of our country districts should have been with- 
out schools for years, than be taught by such teachers as they 
have had — teachers who could only make stupidity more 
stupid. 

Teachers themselves for the credit of their profession, 
should mark and discountenance the dunces and quacks who 
dishonor it. 

The means of improving in the art of teaching have been 
so multiplied within a few years, that there is now but little 
excuse for committees or trustees in employing incompetent 
teachers, or, for the teachers themselves in not improving. — 
We have no Normal School it is true, but we have numerous 
High Schools and Academies. And then we have the Teachers' 
Institute, where for a week or more at a time, they may re- 
ceive instruction without money and without price, from the 
most able instructors of this and other States. The State 
pays for the instruction, the inhabitants of the villages gener- 
ously entertain them. Our best teachers generally attend as 
many of these meetings as they can find time for. It is a 
pleasure as well as profit to them. Yet, although held in all 
parts of the State and almost brought to their very doors, 
there is a large number of teachers who never attend any. If 
they are poor teachers, they will probably remain so. Poor 
they may be m worldly goods ; they will probably remain so. 
Heaven helps those who help themselves. 

I shall devote a portion of this report to considering what 
teachers may do to improve themselves, and what they may 
do to improve the community around them. Some of the top- 
ics may be trite, yet it is a subject which needs and justifies 
repetition and on which too much cannot be said. 

The teacher should not think that he is doing his duty by 
merely spending the allotted time in the school room and 
hearing recitations in their prescribed order. To make a good 
teacher requires considerable energy of character, and he who 
has it not should endeavor to cultivate and acquire it. With- 
out it, he cannot succeed in teaching or in any other business. 
He should put his whole soul into his business, Avhatever it is 
for the time being. Whatever his hands find to do, he should 
do it with all his might. By applying himself energetically 



150 MEANS OF IMPROVING THE SCHOOLS. 

to any pursuit, even if it be a merely temporary one, he is cul- 
tivating habits and acquiring a force of character which will 
not only contribute to his happiness but to his success in all 
future pursuits. And by going through the routine of a school 
drowsily, and as if it was a mere task that he wishes to get 
rid of as speedily as possible, he is acquiring habits which will 
surely prevent success in future undertakings. 

A teacher should devote himself to his work heartily and 
with enthusiasm and energy, if he were to consider only his 
chances for pecuniary success in life. The greater part of our 
teachers are looking to some other employment a few years 
hence for a livelihood. They follow teaching a few years 
and then take up some other business or profession. For op- 
portunities of getting into business they have to depend most- 
ly on their previous reputation. And if a young man has 
been a teacher and has shown a listlessness and carelessness 
about his business, no desire to improve himself and no capac- 
ity to benefit his scholars, if he has been a poor teacher, it 
will be a very poor recommendation to those who might be 
willing to employ him in other business. He who from the 
causes I have mentioned, is unsuccessful as a teacher, will 
probably prove unsuccessful from the same causes in every 
thing else. 

One of the most distinguished men of Rhode Island in a 
discourse a few years ago observed, that " no teacher is fit to 
have a scholar unless he is able to make his mark upon him."* 
There is so much meaning condensed into this short sentence 
that it might serve as a text for a long discourse. 

A temptation which especially besets a good teacher — one 
who is desirous of improving, is the tendency to adopt some 
particular theory or mode of teaching, to the exclusion of all 
others — in other words, to have a Jwhhy. Some degree of en- 
ergy and enthusiasm is absolutely necessary to constitute a 
good teacher, but the very possession of this enthusiasm with- 
out considerable discretion and judgment, will sometimes 
prove a stumbling block in the way of a teacher's usefulness. 
They have seen that there is a defect in some old mode of 
teaching — they have perhaps been in some school where some 
particular mode of teaching was practiced with good effect. 
It becomes a favorite with them, and without allowing for 
difference of circumstances, they adopt it at all times and pla- 
ces ; they make a hobby of it. 

This is particularly to be guarded against, and especially at 
the present day, when the public attention has been aroused 
to the subject of education and the community in consequence 

♦Dr. VVayland. 



MEANS OF IMPROVING THE SCHOOLS. 151 

swarms with theorists and boolv makers, who talce advantage 
of the excitement for their own interest, and whose interest it 
is in too many cases, to run down old modes and usages, sub- 
Etituting newer, but not better ones. 

A good teacher when he goes into a district which has been 
blessed witli a good school, and where the people understand 
and appreciate its advantages, may find perhaps for awhile^ 
little more to do than to continue on in the course ah-eady 
marked out. But even here, constant exertion is necessary. 
In the best districts, zeal for the interests of education will oc- 
casionally decline. Human nature is so constituted, that we 
seldom properly appreciate those advantages v/hich we con- 
stantly enjoy. We must be occasionally deprived of them, or 
we must see the condition of others who do not enjoy them and 
be able to compare it with our own, in order to realize their 
value. 

In a large portion of our districts, the good teacher finds that 
there is so much to be done, that it requires a great deal of 
discretion to know how to commence his work. By under- 
taking too much, he often defeats his purpose. But if he has 
the proper degree of zeal tempered with judgment, he can do 
a great deal. For those who desire to be useful in their day 
and generation, and who do not make the profession a mere 
matter of money, the opportunities of doing good will be con- 
stantly occurring. The field of labor is vast, and it will al- 
ways remain open. For each new generation the same work 
is to be done. 

Perhaps in a great many districts which have not been 
highly favored, the good teacher can best commence the work 
of reform by letting the people see the ditference between a 
good teacher and a poor one. There are too many of our dis- 
tricts where the people have no knowledge of what a good 
teacher can do. They have got the notion that almost any 
body can teach small children, and that any blockhead is fit 
to teach A, B, C. Among all the errors on the subject of edu- 
cation, there is none more fatal. Now, here let the good teach- 
er show his capacity. He may have a poor house and but 
few scholars and many other discouragements to contend with. 
But let him show the people what a good teacher can do, and 
he will find them gradually beginning to sympathise with 
him. Our people are a shrewd, sensible people, and they on- 
ly want to be convinced that there is a real improvoment, that 
there is something in it, (to use the common phrase,) and they 
will join in the movement and aid it along. Let a teacher 
once establish his influence in this way, by showing them that 
he is a good teacher, that he deserves their confidence, and ev- 
ery thing else is easy of accomplishment. 



152 MEANS OF IMPROVING THE SCHOOLS. 

But the teacher can do very Httle without the co-operation of 
the parents in his district. If from any cause they are opposed 
to the school, he can do nothing ; if they are merely indiffer- 
ent or careless, he can do but little, compared with what he 
can effect if he has their hearty co-operation and support. — 
And this certainly is an object worth some pains and labor on 
his part. 

When there was no school system, the whole responsibility 
of supporting a school was thrown upon the parents in a neigh- 
borhood. At the proper season they were obliged to consult, 
and meet, and negotiate about the teacher and the school, and 
the means of supporting them. True, the duty was often neg- 
lected. But parents in such cases felt that the responsibility 
was on them. 

Now we have a system established by law. The State 
comes in by its officers and provides a teacher and a school, 
and supplies in some cases a part, in some, all of the funds for 
its support. And a large portion of the people, finding a school 
provided without any trouble or effort of their own, contract 
the habit of looking upon it with indifference, as if it was 
something with which they had nothing to do, or rather, as if 
it were something they felt safe and justified in shifting the re- 
sponsibility of on to other people's shoulders, the trustees, 
committees, &c. 

But a teacher can do a great deal himself towards awaken- 
ing a proper spirit in the parents in his district. He should 
try to cultivate the acquaintance of all of them, consult with 
them about the studies, the characters, and interests of their 
children. 

The old system of boarding around had at least this advan- 
tage, that it of necessity as it were, brought about an acquaint- 
ance between the teachers and parents. And to some teach- 
ers, who are modest and reserved, and unused to society, and 
have not the faculty of making acquaintances, this might be a 
real good. At all events, the teacher should avoid confinmg 
his intimacy to a few, whoever they may be, for every district 
has its family jealousies, its political quarrels, its religious or 
irreligious variances, jealousies of trade and jealousies arising 
from difference in property; and it will be most unfortunate 
for the school, if the teacher by favoring any one set incurs the 
displeasure of another. 

Sometimes, if one set of men get the power and hire a teach- 
er, it is a sufficient reason for the other party to find fault with 
him. The teacher cannot be too careful in such a case. It 
will require some knowledge of the world, of human passions, 
and weaknesses ; and if he has it not, he must learn it, how- 
ever hard and disagreeable the acquisition of it may be. 



MEANS OF IMPROVING THE SCHOOLS. 153 

The teacher may then, by proper means, secure the influ- 
ence of the parents in his favor ; and if he does, he wiU find 
his task comparatively easy and his burden hght. The disci- 
phne of the school, which to a young and inexperienced teach- 
er, is always the most trying part of his labors, depends great- 
ly upon the parents. If the parents listen to and encourage the 
complaints of the children, it makes hard work for the teach- 
er ; and the parents, or rather the children, are themselves the 
losers. For if a large portion of the teacher's time is taken up 
in keeping in order a set of unruly boys, that time is taken 
from their instruction, and the teacher's mind is wearied and 
fretted, and unfitted for the proper discharge of his duties. If, 
on the other hand, after taking pains to get a good teacher, in- 
stead of looking out for faults, they would let the children 
know that if they received one whipping at school they should 
receive another at home, the discipline of the school would be 
made easy. 

Upon this subject of co-operation of parents in supporting 
the school, too much cannot be said. It is a serious, solemn 
duty. We have been so much accustomed in arguing in 
favor of a system of public instruction, to address ourselv^es to 
mere motives of interest, by holding out to parents that a good 
education would tend to the worldly advancement of their 
children, and that it would save the pockets of the people so 
many dollars and cents now paid for the conviction and pun- 
ishment of crime, that we have overlooked the question of 
duty. 

So much has been done within a few years past towards 
establishing systems of education in all the States, and such 
is the disposition every where manifested to look to the State 
for the education of the child, that some of the best friends of 
education m the Union have considered the tendency a dan- 
gerous one. God has established the parental relation ; he 
has placed upon the parent the responsibility for the bringing 
up of the child in the way it should go : but they too easily 
fall in with the fashion of the day, which is to throw upon 
the State all care, all responsibility, not only for the secular 
education, but for the moral training of the child. But grant- 
ing that there is this tendency and this danger, it is one from 
which the old system or no-system was not free ; and we 
should meet and counteract it by the most strenuous and ever 
continuing efforts; the teacher in the school and the teacher 
in the pulpit, and the friends of education everywhere, should 
constantly inculcate the duty of the parent to educate the 
child. 



154 STUDIES AND OBJECT OP EDUCATION. 

STUDIES AND OBJECT OF EDUCATION. 

A teacher can do a great deal with his scholars to make the 
school pleasant as well as profitable to them, and to excite in 
them a love for study and for acquiring information. Besides 
attending to the ordinary studies which are pursued in our 
schools, and which are absolutely necessary in any system of 
education, he can from time to time, and without interfering 
with regular studies, communicate to them much information 
which will be useful to them in after life. He may make them 
acquainted with the modes of carrying on the business of the 
world, the different trades, the various modes of makmg notes, 
receipts, accounts, «fcc. &c., so much of physiology as to enable 
them to guard against sudden wounds and accidents. 

Again, the children in our schools are educating not for 
themselves or for their parents only, but they are to sustain re- 
lations to society at large. They are, perhaps, some, or all of 
them, to be in the course of their lives, town officers, magis- 
trates, jurors, judges, ministerial officers of the law and per- 
haps, law makers. Yet no knowledge of this sort is conveyed 
to the children in most of our schools, although the existence 
and good government of our republic depends upon it. But 
they are left to pick it up little by little as they go through 
Jife. Now, a teacher in a few occsional lessons may convey a 
great deal of informaation which will be of use to them after- 
wards. He might also inform them of the different classes of 
crimes and the punishments provided for them by law, and of 
the various legal rights pertaining to the various relations of 
life. In all this sort of knowledge so necessary in a free gov- 
ernment, children generally get no instruction in the schools. 
Yet how much better fitted to discharge their duties as citi- 
zens, and how many troubles and misfortunes might be avoid- 
ed, were they better and earlier taught. Men may acquire a 
great deal of this knowledge as they rub along through life, at 
meetings, at courts, &c. But females are shut out from these 
opportunities. They are generally completely ignorant of their 
legal rights; and the consequences are often serious to their 
interest and happmess. 

I am no advocate for crowding a great variety of studies 
into a school, or attempting to teach too much. But while in 
some schools, perhaps enough of this collateral information, 
as it may be called, is already given, there are others, as we 
all know, wliBre nothing at all is done but to hear lessons re- 
cited by rote from the spelling book, the geography and gram- 
mar. 



STUDIES AND OBJECT OF EDUCATION. 155 

There is no doubt too that in a great many cases children 
are shut up in school at too early an age. Their intellectual 
training is begun and carried on in advance of and out of all 
proportion to the physical and the moral. Dr. Johnson once 
inquired what became of all the clever children. 

There is more of this hurrying of education with us than 
among other nations, and it results from the circumstances 
of the country and the character of our people. A man here 
has finished his education and begun the practice of some 
trade or profession at an age when in the old countries he 
would be just leaving school for college. He is thrown up- 
on the world early and upon his own energies for support, 
and this no doubt leads to or at least encourages the forcing 
system which we are so apt to pursue with the youth of 
America. 

In deciding upon the number of studies and the amount 
of information to be given, circumstances and the discretion 
of the teacher must govern. We can lay down no invaria- 
ble rules. But we may be guided in the exercise of this 
discretion by considering the object and design of educa- 
tion. 

What then is the aim of education, or rather what should 
it be? What does the parent — not every parent — but the 
wise and judicious parent wish his children to be ? We 
should consider what is his destination or object of life upon 
earth — what is to be his destiny for eternity. We may 
probably sum it up by saying that the object should be to 
make him a useful and respectable member of society and to 
cultivate such habits and give him such information as will 
make him as happy here as the conditions of a world of trial 
and probation allow, and happy in the life to come. With 
the Romans and the ancients generally, the idea of educa- 
tion was to make a citizen useful to the State, and every 
thing was made subservient to this. Modern civilization un- 
der the influence of Christianity, teaches us to consider the 
happiness of the individual as well as the good of society 
and to extend our aim beyond the present world. 

In this view, or in any view in fact which v/e may take 
of the subject, strength of mind should be regarded as one of 
the great objects of education. While the communication 
of information is one object, we should not forget that anoth- 
er and not less important — perhaps the most important, is to 
discipline the mind, to learn the scholar to think for himself, 
to habituate him to meet and overcome difficulties j and that 



156 STUDIES AND OBJECT OP EDUCATION. 

it is only the knowledge which is well digested and made 
his own that is of much use to him. We may smooth down 
the difficulties of learning, explain every thing and commu- 
nicate a great deal of knowledge, but unless the child's mind 
is set to work and exercised in the process, the knowledge 
will be lost nearly as soon as acquired. And it will even be 
worse than useless, for the child will be acquiring habits of 
mind, which will unfit it for intellectual exertion after- 
wards. 

" The History of England," says Sir Walter Scott, speak- 
ing of the modern practice of attempting to render every 
thing easy and amusing to children, " is now reduced to a 
game at cards. * * * There wants ^but one step further 
and the creed and the ten commandments may be taught in 
the same way. * * * It may in the mean time be a subject 
of serious consideration, whether those who are accustomed 
only to acquire instruction through the medium of amuse- 
ment, may not be brought to reject that which approaches 
under the aspect of study, &-c." 

One of our objects, then, should be to produce mental 
power, and to teach them how to apply this power. The 
well educated man should be capable of concentrating all the 
powers of his mind upon any subject he undertakes, howev- 
er difficult. And to this end, for those who can afford the 
time and the expense, there is nothing to be compared with 
mathematics or the dead languages. I say the dead lan- 
guages, for the very objection to the modern languages, 
considered as a means of discipline, is that they can be ac- 
quired with very little labor. For those who cannot afford 
the time or expense of these, the best substitutes must be 
adopted the nature of the case admits of, A good drilling 
in arithmetic (in this light) is invaluable. We should use 
the scholar to pursue hard studies, studies which are not 
pleasing in themselves, but which he is to look upon as a 
stepping stone, a necessary preliminary to understanding or 
excelling in other studies. The scholar who is habituated 
to meet and overcome difficulties, will find his future stiudies 
rendered pleasant and easy by it. 

Ofthetwo, ifl must go to either extreme, give me the 
young man who has by studies difficult but of no immediate 
utility, well disciplined his mind, increased his powers and 
acquired the faculty of directing them, in preference to one 
who comes from school or from college crammed with learn- 
ing upon the easy system. I could not hesitate as to my 



NORMAL SCHOOL. 157 

opinion which would most certainly succeed in life or which 
would make the most useful member of society. 

But it does not necessarily follow that we should go to 
the extreme of either system. Without interfering with the 
ordinary studies a teacher may relieve the tediousness of 
school hours by occasionally devotnig a few moments to 
exercises of the sort I have mentioned, and in such a way 
as to make it a relaxation and a pleasant change from severer 
studies. 

I have spoken of some of the means by which a teacher 
may make himself useful to his school and to the communi- 
ty. The life of the faithful teacher is at best a laborious 
one. He needs for his own support a strong sense of duty 
to sustain him in his trials. He who without a sense of du- 
ty looks to interest alone and who merely thinks of getting 
a living for a year or two, until he can find more profitable 
business, will seldom succeed. He has no motive to im- 
prove. 



NORMAL SCHOOL. 

In considering the means of improving our teachers, we 
should not omit the subject of a Normal School. 

By a Normal School is generally understood a schooler 
academy for the education of teachers with a special view to 
teaching ; and with provision in most of them for the gratui- 
tous instruction of such as intend to make a business of teach- 
ing. 

This name, (says Mr. Barnard,) was first used in Austria, 
and was applied to schools where young men received a 
practical education as teachers by being employed as assist- 
ants in the school, and at the same time received lectures on 
the principles and practice of teaching. The same name 
was applied in France and is used in England and this 
country to designate seminaries for the education of teach- 
ers, sometimes with and sometimes without a practical school 
attached to them. 

To the Austrian system it has been objected that its ten- 
dency is to perpetuate old errors, ancient modes of instruc- 
tion ; and to the teachers' seminaries as sometimes conducted 
it has been objected that the education given was of such a 
nature as to render the teacher discontented with his situa- 
9 



158 NORMAL SCHOOL. 

tion and compensation, and unwilling to teach in the ordina- 
ry schools. 

A well qualified teacher, and one who intends to make a 
business of it, will be desirous of permanent employment. — • 
This the grealer part of our country districts, where schools 
are kept only a portion of the year, cannot give him. 

One of our greatest dithculties in regard to the subject of 
a Normal School arises from the very freedom of our insti- 
tutions and the newness of our country. In Europe where 
society is permanently divided into various ranks and there 
is but little opportunity for a man to change the situation or 
mode of life to which he happens to be born, the teacher's 
profession is generally taken up as a business for life. He 
has little prospect or hope of change. The governments 
can therefore exert themselves to improve the condition and 
qualifications of the teacher, and can justly tax the people to 
do it because they know that the people will be repaid by 
the improved quality of the services he will render during 
his life. 

Bnt in our country few undertake the business of teach- 
ing, as a business for life, and from the circumstances of our 
country, it must probably long remain so. All the avenues 
to wealth and distinction are here open to all. Wealth is 
the great means of social distinction. And while the tempta- 
tions to leave the teacher's profession are as great as they 
are, we shall constantly find young men of enterprise desert- 
ing it for more profitable occupations. 

The same difficiilty has been experienced by the United 
States government at the West Point Academy, designed to 
educate officers for the army. Even the certainty of a per- 
manent and increasing salary for life, has not been sufficient 
to retain the graduates in the service, when the business of 
civil life was unusually prosperous and offered them induce- 
ments for change. 

Mr. Barnard concludes his observations on the Normal 
Schools of Europe with these practical and common sense 
remarks, " In conclusion, it may save some misapprehen- 
sion of his own views to remark, that with all these agencies 
for the education and improvement of teachers, the public 
schools of Europe vvitir their institutions of government and 
society, do not turn out such practical and efficient men as 
our own common schools, acting in concert with our reli- 
gious, social and political institutions. A boy educated in a 
district school of New England, taught for a few months in 



NORMAL SCHOOL. 159 

'the winter by a rough, half-educated, but live teacher who 
is earning his way by his winter's work in the school- room 
■out of the profession into sometljing which will pay better; 
and in summer by a young female just out of the oldest 
class of the winter school and with no^ other knowledge of 
teaching than what she may have gathered by observation 
of the diverse practices of some ten or twelv(3 instructors 
who must have taught the school under the intermittent and 
itinerating system which prevails universally in the country 
districts of New England — a boy thus taught during his 
school life, but subjected at home and abroad to the stirring 
influences of a free press, of town and school district meet- 
ings, of constant intercourse with those who are mingling 
with the world and in the affairs of public life, and bejond 
all these influences, subjected early to the wholesome disci- 
pline both moral and intellectual of taking care of himself 
and the affairs of the house and the farm, will ha^e more ca- 
pacity for business and exhibit more in tellectusri activity and 
versatility than the best scholar who ever graduated from a 
Prussian school, but whose school life a^id especialiy the 
years which immediately follow, are Mibjected to the de- 
pressing and repressing influences of a despotic government 
and of a state of society in which every thing is fixed both 
by law and the iron rule of custom. But this superiority is 
not due to the school, but is gsined in spite of the school.-^ 
Our aim should be to make the school better and to bring 
all the influences of home and society, of religion and free in- 
stitutions, into perfect .'larmony with the best teachings of 
the best teacher," 

There has been great diversity of opinion and practice in 
this country as to what should be taught in our Normal 
Schools. In spme, direct instruction is given in all the 
branches taught in our common schools. But to this there 
are serious objections, and some of the considerations I have 
mentioned, apply with great force. • Those entering a Nor- 
mal School should certainly be required to have studied all 
the branches they intend to teach, and then the time may be 
profitably spent in occasional reviews to refresh their know- 
ledge, and in direct instruction in the principles and various 
modes of teaching. The latter seems to be the proper pro- 
vince of the Normal School. 

The want of a Normal School among us is at present par- 
tially supplied by the institution of the Normal Department 
in Brown University, an account of which by Professor Greene, 
is appended to this report. 



160 LYCEUM LECTURES. 

GRADES OF aUALIFICATIONS OF TEACHERS. 

The original design of the school laws was to establish 
three grades of teachers. School Committees were to give 
certificates of qualification which were to be valid only in 
their own towns. County Inspectors were to give certifi- 
cates which were intended to be of a higher grade and to be 
valid throughout the county. And finally, the hope was 
held out to the faithful and persevering, of receiving a cer- 
tificate endorsed by the Commissioner, which was to be va- 
lid throughout the State. 

The intention of the law, however, has never been car- 
tied out. Few of the latter class of certicates have ever 
bet'i given. And so much clashing and jealousy has arisen 
from C;!ounty Inspectors giving certificates with which Com- 
mittees were dissatisfied, that the appointment of Inspectors 
was discontinued. 

Yet the object of the law is good, and should, if possible, 
be carried out. The teacher whose long service and high 
qualifications enutle him to it, should receive a certificate of 
those qualificatioes of a higher degree than is given to the 
less qualified and inex-»erienced. 

To effect this, and at the same time to protect the Com- 
missioner from the charge of favoritism and partiality — the 
suspicion of which would di-oiinish the value of the certifi- 
cate — the followiug plan mighi be adopted . — A board of ex- 
amining teachers might be appointed, to meet at specified 
times, and all teachers with whost qualifications the Com- 
missioner was not personally acquainied, might be referred to 
this board for examination. The certificate would then not 
be liable to be given on imperfect information or partial re- 
commendations, and would be valuable to those who ob- 
tained it. 



LYCEUM LECTURES. 

The subject of lectures deserves attention as a part of a 
system of public education, and a means of diffusing in- 
formation among the people. Where they can be support- 
ed, they afford a means of much valuable improvement. — 
But I apprehend that the manner in which they have gen- 
erally been managed amongst us, is not the one calculated to 
do the most good. Overlooking our home material, we send 



UNION DISTRICTS. 161 

abroarl for lectureris, and pay a high price for them ; we get 
in return a certaui amount of general declamation on some 
subject, or on matters and things in general, with a full pro- 
portion of high-sounding phrases, but very little definite 
knowledge, and very little that is fitted to make an impres- 
sion on our minds, and to excite thought in us. Now, almost 
every large village contains some men who have opportuni- 
ties for reading, or who by practice have become well ac- 
quainted with some particular branch of knowledge, or who 
have had opportiuiities of travelling and seeing the world. — 
If these men would digest the results of their reading and of 
their practical knowledge on the subjects familiar to them in- 
to lectures, and with an occasional interchange of lectures 
with other villages, it would be a profitable way of spending 
some of our winter evenings; and the lecturers themselves 
would be well paid by the mental discipline and improve- 
ment to which the effort would conduce. As it is, we get 
our lecturers from abroad, we expect too much, we are often 
disappointed, and after a great deal of trouble and expense, 
we get tired and give up the system. An association of gen- 
tlemen for mutual improvement, conducted as I have sug- 
gested, and open to the public, might be managed without 
any expense. They would improve themselves and the ex- 
ercises might be made pleasant and useful to the whole com- 
mnnity. But if they have no time to write, or do not desire 
to appear before the public, evening meetings for reading 
and occasional discussion miaht be substituted. 



UNION DISTRICTS. 

I would again call attention, as I have done in a former re- 
port, to the formation of Union Districts. Many of our 
villages are so situated that they are divided not only be- 
tween different districts, but between different towns. In 
all of these cases it would be for the advantage of the peo- 
ple to unite the districts, by which they would be enabled to 
keep their schools for a longer time, to employ more and 
better teachers, and to divide the scholars according to age 
and proficiency. In several of our large viUages, the dis- 
tricts have been consolidated and the schools graded. And 
there are many districts on streams which divide towns, 
which might be united v/ith great benefit 
2^ 



162 UNION DISTRICTS. 

By a provision in the present law, any two or more districts- 
with the approbation of the school committee, may unite to- 
gether without losing their claim to that portion of the school 
money which is divided equally by districts. This was in- 
tended to encourage the union of districts, and it is to be hop- 
ed that it will have that efiect. 

There is no way in which more can be done for education 
in those neighborhoods which admit of it, than by the forma- 
tion of union districts. 



Note. — This subject of uniting schools for the purpose of improvement and gra- 
dation is so important that we introduce here the following suggestions of variwusF 
authors, which we take from the very able report of Hon. Erastus Root, Superin- 
tendent of Schools of Wisconsin. 

Plan Proposed in Palmer's Prize Essay. 

" Let a female school be kept in every district, throughout the year, with the ex- 
ception of two short vacations ; the teachers being engaged not for any specific time, 
but as long as both parties remain suited. Let the studies, in such schools, be con- 
fined to reading, writing, composition, (which of course includes orthography, and 
a certain extent of grammar, and the structure of sentences,) arithmetic and geo- 
graphy. Let these be considered as the primary schools, through which every child 
must, of necessity pass, to prepare himself for a difl'erent series, in a higher grade 
of schools, to be called central, or high schools. Of these, let there be one, or in 
large populous towns, two in each town. Generally these central schools would on- 
ly be kept during the winter ; though some of the larger villages might, perhaps, af- 
ford them employment throughout the year. In such cases, additional assistants 
would be wanted during the winter season, v/hen the larger children of the farmers, 
&c., would generally attend. To prevent the younger children who live convenient 
to those central schools, from pressing in too soon, and at the same time, to avoid 
theinvidiousness of preliminary examination, it would be well to adopt as an unde- 
viating r,de, that no instructions should be given in the branches taught in the pri- 
mary schools, excepting in composition, which should be attended to on a more 
extended scale, one afternoon in the week. 

" The central schools should be considered as town schools, and of course should 
be partially supported by a proportion of the public funds Irom all the districts. It 
would not be proper, however, that these contributions should be in an equal ratio. 
They should ba adjusted on some principle favoring the districts, in proportion to 
their distances from the school house. It would scarcely be practicable to suggest 
a rule that would apply fairly, and in all cases; but something like the following 
might probably be satisfactory in the greater number. Let such neighborhoods, 
(within certain limits,) as would agree to furnish the school house, or make the most 
liberal offer towards that item ol expense, have the right of fixing the site, and also 
have the use of the building for purposes not inconsistent with its character, when 
not occupied as a school. With respect to the other expenses, that part of the teach- 
ers' wages not paid by the public money, might be raised by an equal tax on the 
scholiirs; while in addition, th^ expense of board might be defrayed by those living 
withiiione mile of the school house, and of the fuel by those within from one to two 
miles. The mors distant families would thus be compensated for the inconvenience 
of their remoteness, by their exemption from these expenses. Besides, as the chil- 
dren would not probably be prepared for the central school till about the age of 
twelve, the ixicreased distance would then be A matter of but trifling moment. 

"Attached U the central school house, there should always be a long shed for the 
accommodationof the teams of distant families, who would probably make some ar- 
rangement to furnish such a convenience by turns ; while those who were unpro- 
vided, might pay a reasonable portion of their expense by their labor. The school 
house itself should be on a scale sufficiently large to admit of a few lodging rooms 
for those female pupils, whose health might be too delicate to go daily to their dis- 
tant homes. Here, with a trifling inconvenience, and without any additional ex- 
pense, save the transport ol their provisions, and a little necessary furniture from 



ATTENDANCE ON THE SCHOOLS, 163 

ATTENDANCE ON THE SCHOOLS. 

The number of children, especially in our cities and villages, 
who receive no benefit from our public schools, is very great. 

In order to exhibit the extent of this evil, I have added to 
the abstract which accompanies this report a column giving 
the number of persons in each town over the age of four and 
under fifteen, as taken from the new census. This, of course, 
does not give exactly the number of those who should be re- 
ceiving education, as a considerable number of those over fif- 
teen should be in the schools, but it is the nearest approximation 
we can make of it. 



home, they might board themselves. But the boys should, in all cases, return home ; 
as it is more important that they should be under the eye of their parents, as they 
have, generally, more or less evening and morning duties to perform. 

"The distance from the furthest corner of the town would probably, in no case, 
exceed four or five miles. Should there be any pupils to whom it might be incon- 
venient to furnish means of conveyance, dailt/, it might easily be arranged, that they 
should have longer tasks, and attend the school for recitation only two or three 
times a week. And, if their leisure time was properly spent at home, it is highly 
probable, that improvement would be more rapid, under such an arrangement, than 
where the school was attended more constantly, For it would certainly have the 
tendency, in most cases, to induce habits of patient perseverance, and confidence in 
one's own exertions, — habits of much more importance than the mere attainment of 
science. In all schools there is too much leaning on the teacher, too httle patient 
research and self dependence. 

" As the languages and higher branches of mathematics should be taught in the 
central schools, it would be necessary to have a gentleman of liberal education at its 
head ; but probably, so great has been the improvement of female education within 
a few years, there would be little difficulty of procuring a sutficiency of well quali- 
fied assistants of that se.x," 

Plan Proposed by Hokace Mann. 

"It seems not unconnected with this subject to inquire, whether in many places 
out of our cities a plan may not be adopted to give greater efficiency to the means 
now devoted to common school education. The population of many towns is so sit- 
uated as conveniently to allow a gradation of the schools. For children under the 
age of eight or ten years, about a mile seems a proper limit, beyond which they 
should not be required to travel to school. On this supposition, one house, as c«n- 
trally situated as circumstances will permit, would accommodate the population up- 
on the territory of four square miles, or, which is the same thing, two miles square. 
But a child above that age can go two miles to school, or even rather more without 
serious inconvenience. There are many persons whose e.xperience attests, tUat they 
never enjoyed better health, or made greater progress, than when they vent two 
miles and a half, or three miles daily, to school. Supposing, however, the most 
remote scholars to live only at about the distance of two miles from the school, one 
house will then accommodate all the older children upon a territory of sixteen square 
miles, or four miles square. Under such an arrangement, while there were four 
soiiools in a territory of four miles square, i. e., si.xteen square miles, {Jrthe younger 
children, there would be one central school for the older. Suppose there is $600 to 
be divided amongst the inhabitants of this territory of sixteen square miles, or $150 
for each of the four districts. Suppose, farther, that the average usages for the male 
teachers is 825, and for female $12 50 per month. If, accordinff-to the present sys- 
tem, four male teaciiers are employed for the winter term, anJ four female for the 
summer, each of the summer and winter schools may be k*pt four months. The 
money would then be exhausted ; i. e., four months sumrner-it -Sl'^ 50=:.$5U, and four 
months winter, at 825=8100; both=$150. But accordipg to the plan suggested, 
the same money would pay for six months summer schoiV instead of four, in each of 



164 ATTENDANCE ON THE SCHOOLS. 

With this, let any person compare the coUimn which gives 
the whole number of scholars attending the schools. But even 
this will not show the magnitude of the evil. To know the 
full extent of it, we should make the comparison with the av- 
erage attendance, as a large number of those who attend are 
merely registered and attend but a very little while. 

The rate of non-attendance would appear to be highest in 
Newport, but very large in many other towns. 

That the rate bill system, or system of assessments on schol- 
ars in our country towns, has the effect of inducing many pa- 
rents to keep their children from school, there can be no doubt. 
By law, the poor are exempted from assessment, but this is a 
privilege which very few will claim. Few are willing to have 
their children considered as charity scholars. This is a com- 
mendable pride. 



the four districts, and for a male teacher's school eight months, at $35 a month, 
instead of four at $25 a month, and would then leave l20 in the treasury. 

" By this plan, the great superiority of female over male training for children under 
8, 10 or 12 years of age, would be secured; the larger scholars would be separated 
from the smaller, and thus the great diversity of studies and of classes in the same 
school, which now crumbles the teacher's time into dust, would be avoided ; the 
female schools would be lengthened one half ; and the length of male schools would 
be doubled, and for the increased compensation, a teacher of four fold qualifications 
could be employed. Undoubtedly, in many towns upon the Cape or among the moun- 
tains, the course of the roads and the face of the territory would present insuperable 
obstacles to the full reduction of this scheme to practice. But it is as unquestionable, 
that in many others no physical impediments exist to its immediate adoption ; espe- 
cially if we consider the legal power of difl'erent towns to unite portions of their 
territory for the joint maintenance of schools. We have not yet brought the power 
of united action to bear withhalf its force upon the end or the means of education. 
I think it will yet be found more emphatically true in this dejiartment of hu- 
man action, than in any other, that adding individual means multiplies social 
power." 

Plan Proposed by Hexhy Barnard, Secretary of the Board of Commis- 
sioners OF Common Schools of Connecticut. 

"To remedy in all or in part, the evils thus summarily presented, it is proposed 
thft so far as practicable, the younger children with the primary studies, be as- 
signed to female teachers, and the older children and more advanced studies, to 
male teachers, and that both classes of teachers be well qualified for their appro- 
priate grade of schools. This, it is thought, can be done in one of the following 
modes ; 

" 1st. Bj' employing in every district numbering over fifty children in school, 
two or more teachers, as is now done in more than eighty districts. There are 
several hurdred districts which could adopt this course. 

". '^'. .^5 ^^^ union of two or more adjoining districts, for the purpose of 
maintaining h union school for the older children of st:ch associating districts, 
while the youtwer children of each, are left in the district schools. There is 
scarcely a schoo", society in the State, where at least one such union district can- 
not be formed. 

"3d. By the establishment of a central school, where the circumstances 
of the society will ujmit of its being done, for the older children of all the dis- 
tricts. 

"By the establishmtjjt in each society, of one central school, or one or more 
anion schools, for the oVier children, and more advanced studies, the district 



CHILDKEN IN FACTORIES. 165 

It is probable, too, that a considerable portion of the non- 
attendance in some places may be owing to religious or sec- 
tarian feeling. If such be the case, the objections should be 
enquired into ; and if any thing can be done to remove them, 
without impairing the efhciency of the schools, or without a 
surrender of any principles essential to the maintenance of a 
public school system, it should certainly be done. 



CHILDREN IN FACTORIES. 

Another, and probably the most considerable portion of the 
non-attendance in the schools, is the result of the employment 
of children in factories. The subject of the education of the 
children in these establishments, deserves the serious attention 
of the Legislature. 

The improvements of modern times have rendered the labor 
of children valuable to a degree that formerly could not have 
been anticipated. Hence the temptation to parents in destitute 



school will be relieved of at least one-half the number of classes and studies, and 
the objections to the employment of female teachers in the winter, on account 
of their alleged inability to govern and instruct the older boys, will be re- 
moved. 

"As the compensation of female teachers is less than one half tha* paid to 
males, every instance of the employment of a female teacher in place of ^ male 
teacher in the district school, will save one-half of t!ie wages paid to the latter, 
which can be expended in increasing, partly tlie wages of the former, and partly 
the wages of the male teacher in the union or central school. It will be found 
that the same amount of money now expended in three districts, on three female 
teachers in .summer, and three male teachers in winter, will employ three female 
teachers for the whole length of the summer and winter school, and one male 
teacher for the wiuter, at an advance of one-third or one half of the average rate 
of wages paid to each. 

"Tins arrangement will thus lead to the more permanent employment of a 
larger number of female teachers, at an advanced compensation, thus holding 
out an additional inducement to females of tlie right character and qualifications, 
to teach in the district school. It will also reduce the demand for male teachers, 
except of the highest orders of qualifications, and increase the wages of those 
who are employed. In both ways it will diminish the expense, the loss of time, 
asid oiherevils of aconstant change of teachers in the same school, and give per- 
manence and character to the profession of teacher. 

" It will enable the teachers of the several schools to introduce studies, disci- 
pline and instruction appropriate to each. In the district primary school, the 
younger children need no longer be subjected to the discomforts and neglects 
which they now experience, or primary studies be crowded one side, to make 
room for the higher branches. In the union or central school, the scholars, com- 
ing as they would, from the primary school, well grounded in the fundamental 
branches, will be prepared to enter profitably upon studies which are now pursu- 
ed to advantage only in academies and other private schools of a similar grade. 
Thus, all that is now accomplished in the district school, will be better done, the 
course of study very much extended, and the advantages of a more thorough and 
complete education be more widely diffused." 



1G6 CHILDEEN IN FACTORIES. 

circumstance is strong to take their children from the schools 
early, and put them in some establishment where they can aid 
them by their labor. But the necessitous are not the only 
ones who do this. Many who have health and strength, and 
ability to support themselves and families by their own labor, 
yield to this temptation, to live upon the labor of their chil- 
dren, and support themselves in this way. 

Any person familiar with our schools must have noticed the 
small number of large scholars in all our ordinary schools. 
As soon as they are able to labor, they are taken from the 
school. 

By an act entitled " An act to provide for the better instruc- 
tion of children employed in manufacturing establishments," 
which was passed at January session, A. D. 1840, and re- 
mained in force several years, owners and superintendents of 
factories were prohibited from employing in their factories 
children who had not attended some school for three months 
in the year. Similar laws are now in force in several States of 
our Union. 

It is to be hoped, that when the Legislature receives the re- 
port of Col. Sayles, who has been appointed by the Governor 
to collect the statistics upon this subject, it will receive their 
early attention. 

It is due to the manufacturers of this State to say, that with 
few exceptions, they have generously supported all measures 
for the improvement of our schools, and have often munifi- 
centlyi contributed to the building of houses and furnishing of 
libraries. 

The principal object of any law would be to exert an influ- 
ence upon the parents themselves. It is painful to consider 
that there are in this country, and at this age of the world, a 
class — and not a small class — of parents who calculate to live 
upon their children's earnings, and maintain themselves iji 
idleness, and sometimes in dissipation, upon their wages. We 
denounce Southern slavery, Avhile we have in our midst pa- 
rents who treat their own children as property, body and soul, 
and who sell their services, not for the good of the children, 
not to educate and support them, but to pamper to their own 
indolence and ease. 

While we admit as a general principle that the law ought 
but seldom to interfere between the parent and the child, and 
never unless there is some imperious necessity, it would seem 
that in cases such as we have described, it would be right to 
interfere, not by direct compulsion, but by an indirect appeal 
to interest, to prevent the child Irom being sacrificed to ihe pa- 
rent's selfishness. 



RELATION OF EDUCATIOjV TO PREVENTION OF CRIME. 167 

MORAL EDUCATION. 

I will invite your attention for a short time to the subject 
of moral education. I do not propose to speak of its impor- 
tance, but to suggest a few thoughts relating to the connexion 
between education and the prevention of crime, and to consid- 
er what portions of morals may without objection be made sub- 
jects of instruction in schools. 

If all parents did their duty by their children, little would 
remain for the public teacher to perform in respect to morals, 
and he might devote his almost undivided time to their intellec- 
tual advancement. A large portion of parents, however, are 
prevented by poverty or business from giving it their atten- 
tion. 

A want of reverence for parental authority is supposed to 
be one of the characteristics of our country and of our times. — 
In former times the parent had the power of life and death 
over his child. In some countries, as long as the parent lived, 
the child was not free from his control. With the progress of 
civilization, the laws in all countries have become milder. — • 
But in our country, partly probably from carrying to excess 
our notions of liberty and freedom from restraint, partly from 
the newness of the country and the unsettled, shifting habits 
natural to a new country — and partly from the facility with 
which any person can support himself and thus become inde- 
pendent of others — we have gone to the other extreme. The 
child, at an early age, throws off all control ; fortunate if he 
does not throw off all respect for the parent. But although 
much of this maj'- bo due to outward circumstances, we must, 
however, acknowledge that a great deal of it is owing to the 
fault of the parents themselves. 



RELATION OF EDUCATION TO PREVENTION OF 

CRIME.* 

The consideration of the connexion between education and 
the prevention of crime is most important, because the right to 
take the property of the people to educate the children of all, 
depends in a great measure upon our assuming that education 
tends to prevent crime and wretchedness, and therefore is jus- 
tified and required not for the individual, so much as by the 

* See a late number of one of the Quarterly Reviews, and also, Essays by the 
Central Society : Essay by G. A. Porter, Esq. 



168 RELATION OF EDUCATION TO PREVENTION OF CRIME. 

good of society. We tax the public to educate a person, not 
because it promotes his personal advantage, but because we 
presume that we shall make a better citizen of him and so 
promote the good of the community. And the enquiry is in- 
teresting also, as shewing us what we may reasonably ex- 
pect from a system of education in reforming the morals of a 
people. 

Some may perhaps express surprise that any one could im- 
agine that education would not have a tendency to lessen the 
amount of crime — yet intelligent men have done so — and when 
we examine the subject we find that statistics afford us very 
little aid in arriving at any certain conclusion. 

For instance, to show the caution with which we should 
reason from ordinary statistics, able writers have drawn ex- 
actly contrary conclusions from the returns of crimes in 
France, An intelligent and able man, Mr. Query, shows as 
he thinks satisfactorily, that the amount of crime is greater in 
the best educated than in the most ignorant portions of France. 
But his conclusions are drawn from the returns of a single 
year. 

In 1813, the number 'of persons charged with offences 
against society in England and Wales, was 7,164. In 1836, 
20,984 ; nearly three times as many. And during this whole 
time, public and private benevolence had been actively en- 
gaged in schemes for educating and promoting the moral and 
intellectual improvement of their people. 

In 1849, 14,569 males -2,557 females— Total, 17,126 under 
17, were imprisoned for various periods for offences in Eng- 
land, and of these, 12,500 were convicted. The proportion of 
crime in the various districts present some curious facts — thus 
of the above, — (persons under 17.) 

In the Metropolitan counties the proportion is 1 to 694 
'■ Manufacturing " " 1 to 1600 

» Maritime " " 1 to 1508 

" Agricultural " " 1 to 1917 

'= Mining " " 1 to 2078 

It appears from a comparison of the French and English re- 
turns, that the number of persons punished for crime under 
17, or what may be called juvenile offenders, is nearly double 
in England what it is in France, in proportion to the popula- 
tion. And this has led to serious enquiry into the causes of it 
and presents some considerations Avliich might be of practical 
use very near home, in our little State of Rhode Island. 

In England, the system of short imprisonment for small of- 
fences committed by boys, is adopted ; the same system we 
have followed here. In France, boys committing small crimes 
are considered as subjects for reformation, and are sentenced 



RELATION OF EDUCATION TO PREVENTION OP CRIME. 169 

to be detained for various periods up to ten years, according to 
circumstances, and placed under proper discipline and instruc- 
tion. In the English system and in ours, the young offender 
is sentenced for a short time, he is shut up with old offenders 
and he comes out a hardened criminal, and the probability is, 
that the government is at the expense during his life of con- 
victing and imprisoning him continually, unless he is led by 
passion to commit some great oifencc by which he forfeits his 
life or his liberty for life. 

The effect of the two systems upon the statistics is obvious. 
In the English system and in ours, the same young man is 
continually committing offences which of course swell the 
whole number of crimes committed in the country and add to 
the expense of criminal justice. On the French system he of- 
fends but once. He is then detained under training for a time 
sufficient to give a chance of reformation. The number of 
first offenders might be the same under each system. The 
number of offences could not be. 

As I said before, these facts suggest considerations which 
may be applied at home. We have always followed the old 
English system of short imprisonments for small offences, and 
boys are treated as if they V/^ere as intelligent and as responsi- 
ble as older persons and are shut up with them in the same 
jail. Then an appeal is made to the humanity of the Legisla- 
ture and the boy is pardoned and the result generally is, that 
' in about a year he is again before the Legislature for the same 
mercy. Any person familiar with our Legislative proceedings 
for a series of years, will recognize the truth of this. And 
while we pursue the system of committing them to the ordi- 
nary prisons and shutting them up to be schooled by old har- 
dened criminals, members of succeeding Legislatures will very 
naturally pursue the same system of pardons. 

But we may well be glad that a beginning has been made 
in the right direction. 

A few years since, the city of Providence took measures to 
establish a Reform School, under the authority of an act of 
the Legislature. Subsequently by an agreement between the 
State and city, the State has been authorised to send its young 
criminals to it. By acts passed January and October, 1850, 
any Justice of the Peace in the State when sentencing juvenile 
offenders, may in his discretion, sentence them to the Reform 
School. 

1 take every opportunity to call attention to this, because 
the institution is new and has as yet few friends, and many of 
those who are opposed to all change, look coldly on it. Yet it 
seems to me that it needs only to bo known to enlist the sym- 
pathy of all philanthropists. Institutions of the kind have suc- 
ceeded elsewhere. Why should they not here ? 



170 RELATION OF EDUCATION TO PREVENTION OF CRIMES. 

The statistics of crime in relation to education are generally 
defective, because they do not show the amount or degree of 
education. It is obvious, that in taking an account of crimes 
committed by educated persons, we should make a distinction 
between those who have learned only to read and write with- 
out going any farther, which is the case with a large number 
of those who attend school, and those who have received any 
education worthy of the name. Yet in the greater part of sta- 
tistical accounts, crimes committed by those who can merely 
read and write, and that perhaps very imperfectly, are charged 
to the account of education. Since 1828 the French, and since 
1836 the English tables, have classed the criminals as fol- 
lows : 

1. Those who can neither read nor write. 

2. Those v/ho can read only, or who can read and write 

imperfectly. 

3. Those who can read and write well. 

4. Those who have received instruction beyond that of a 

merely elementary school. 

The results of returns under these classes have been thus 
far highly satisfactory and encouraging For seven years 
ending with 1834, the convictions in France averaged 4,238, 
of whom only 65, or one in 65, belonged to the educated — be- 
ing one in about 500,000 of the population. In England, for 
1836, the number of persons accused of crime was 20,984 ; 
out of these, 191 were of the class who had received superior 
education. In Scotland, out of 2,922, 55 belonged to this class. 

But these statements are almost too favorable to be relied 
on. Perhaps we can account for it by supposing that many 
crimes committed by the educated, the intelligent and the 
shrewd, remain undetected ; and if detected, that their ingenui- 
ty sometimes enables them to escape conviction. Besides the 
crimes punished by the courts, are crimes against property or 
person, generally accompanied with some degree of violence; 
crimes which educated persons would be less likely to com- 
mit ; while there are many violations of right by educated 
men, which a rigid morality would denounce as criminal, but 
which the law cannot punish because it cannot define them. 

So far as the statistics go to show that ther3 is less crime in 
the agricultm-al than there is in the manufacturing, seaport 
and city districts, they agree with what we should a priori ex- 
pact the result to be. In the country generally, there is a 
greater equality of condition; less of that extreme distress 
which results from crowding together in cities^ more kindness 
and fellow feeling; and many slight offences, especially if 
they are first offences, are passed over from charity or a hope 
of refommtion. The man of bad character is known, marked 



RELATION OF EDUCATION TO PREVENTION OF CRIME, 171 

and watched — and there are not enough of them to herd to- 
gether and form a class and keep each other in countenance. 

On the other hand, the great cities (which Jefferson said 
were great sores upon the body pohtic) draw together the dis- 
solute and idle from all quarters. It is there, too, that the 
wealth and enterprise of a country is concentrated, and where 
there is most wealth, of course will be the greatest number o( 
crimes against property. And in a city there can be none of 
that compassion for a neighbor which in the country would 
lead to overlooking a fault The smallest offence must be 
punished, without inquiring into the motives which led, or per- 
haps drove, the oliender to commit it. 

There is one circumstance connected with the abundance of 
crime which commends itself to the attention of all friends of 
education — to all philanthropists. It is this : that in the large 
cities, the crimes are committed by a separate class. The low 
and degraded form a separate class, and almost a separate 
caste by themselves. Accessions are constantly making to 
their number, but the greater part of them are born and edu- 
cated to crime — they are hereditary criminals. Shut out of 
churches and schools, they live by preying upon society. Ot 
God they know but the name. Society they consider their en- 
em.y and lawful plunder. The accounts of the ignorance, prac- 
tical Atheism and debasement of this class in some cities, are 
hard to be believed by those who are used only to the peace- 
ful and orderly conmiunities of New England. 

Although the most dreadful cases are probably in the large 
cities of the old world, yet our own cities present instances of 
the same sort, although here, from our youth as a nation, the 
evil may not be so confirmed and hard to combat. There 
seems to be an almost complete wall of separation between 
this class and what I may call the comfortable classes of so- 
ciety — the people of education, of middling property, and the 
wealthy. To associate with ignorance and vice is no pleasure 
to the educated and refined ; and then, again, the very great- 
ness of the evil and the fact of its long existence, are calculated 
to deter the timid from undertaking its removal. 

We may say that we are not responsible for the existence 
of these evils. Tine we may not be directly. But if govern- 
ments and the comfortable classes had done their duty in years 
past, the evil could not have reached its present magnitude. 
If the evil is to be reformed, it must be through the influences 
of religion and of education. But how is religion to be brought 
home to them 1 They are practically shut out of our churches 
because they cannot come iri upon an equality with others • 
and no man, with any just pride or feeling of independence 
will come in on any other terms. If church-going be an es- 



172 RELATION OF EDUCATION TO PREVENTION OF CRIME. 

sential part of Christianity, then, in some large cities, a man 
with a family cannot afford to be a Christian unless he is 
worth his tens of thousands of dollars, and in the same pro- 
portion in smaller places. The attention of our churches is 
already awakened to the necessity of a change of their sys- 
tem. This is shown by the erection of many free churches in 
our cities within a few years. And in what mode can wealth 
be more nobly employed than by devoting it to the religious 
instruction of the poor. 

We cannot doubt however, notwithstanding the gloomy de- 
tails of the criminal calendar, that there has been a gradual 
and marked change eflected in modern civilized society in re- 
lation to crime — and a change for the better. The character 
of the crimes committed has changed. Formerly — in genera- 
tions past there was comparatively little security for person or 
property, except in the strong arm of the possessor. The of- 
fences were of the more violent kind. Murders, robberies and 
duels, <fcc., were more frequent. Now, whatever may be true 
as to the total number of crimes, those of this violent sort have 
diminished. Even if it is only a substitution of fraud and 
craft for violence, it is certainly a change for the better and 
for the peace of society. 

The total number of crimes committed may not have dimin- 
ished, or may even have increased. If statistics should prove 
this, there are many reasons why the friends of humanity 
should not be discouraged. The population of all the civilized 
nations is fast increasing. Their wealth has increased won- 
derfully. To promote the acquisition of wealth, property must 
be secured by the most stringent enactments, and a large class 
of the otfences which makes such a ligure in our criminal 
statistics, are of these modern otfences against property. Leg- 
islatures in England and in this country almost every year 
make something a penal offence which was not so before. — 
This probably is the necessary result of the increase of wealth 
and civilization. Again, our credit system, while it has nearly 
superseded the old fashioned mode of robbery, yet presents in- 
numerable temptations to other sorts of crime, temptations 
which we should rather rejoice that so many withstand, than 
grieve that a few fall. 

Our modern police systems, too, are more perfect than those 
of former times. Fewer crimes escape detection in our large 
cities. All these combine to make the amount of crime appear 
to have increased of late years, while the fact may be very dif- 
ferent, if we take into account the increase of population, and 
consider also, that a great number of the statute offences enu- 
merated as crimes, are not such as necessarily involve any 
great degree of moral turpitude. 



RELATION OF EDUCATION TO PREVENTION OF CRIME. 173 

Without any reference, however, to statistics, it would seem 
as if we ought not to doubt as to the good effects of education 
in preventing misery and crime. 

Even supposing that no direct moral instruction whatever 
is conveyed, can there be any doubt but that a good training 
of the intellect alone is favorable to morals ? By pursuing a 
course of mere intellectual study by system, especially if it be 
pursued under the restraints of a public school or college, the 
student acquires habits of self-denial, obedience to rule, regu- 
larity and order, which are invaluable. And a well disciplin- 
ed and well stored intellect is a great security against crime in 
■another view. The man of education has pleasures and occu- 
pations for his leisure, which ignorance knows not of. He is 
thus protected from many of those vices into Avhich the igno- 
rant and idle fall from the mere love of excitement. We are 
so constituted as to need excitement of some sort. He who 
knows the value of intellectual pleasures, will not be so apt to 
resort to low company, or intoxicating drinks, for his amuse- 
ments. And it is probably to the diffusion of education, and to 
•a thorough education, that we must look for the delivery of 
■our community from the scourge of intemperance. 

Again, mere intellectual education, doubtless, promotes good 
morals, at least negatively, by preventing poverty, the extreme 
of which is a fruitful source of crime. How many crimes are 
traceable to the temptations arising from poverty. The ten- 
dency of education is to raise the man in the scale of being, 
to produce an ambition, and teach him ways of bettering his 
condition, to restrain improvidence and waste, to encourage 
forethought and prudence. So education improves the condi- 
tion of the poor and removes temptation. 

And although the present enormous accumulation of the 
wealth of civilized society, resulting from their superiority in 
knowledge, may in its first effect in the hands of the few, pro- 
duce an increase of 'crimes against property, yet we should 
consider that the benefits of this wealth are constantly diffus- 
ing, by furnishing cheap necessaries and comforts to the poor. 
The industrious laboring man of the present day, enjoys com- 
forts which were luxuries even to the rich men of former ages. 
Thus wealth is slowly diffused and the situation of the poorer 
class improved. 

The importance of providing recreation for the mind, of fin 
intellectual character, is not sufficiently considered by us. As 
I said just now, we are so constituted that we need excitement, 
we need recreation. And if recreation of an innocent and in- 
tellectual kind is not furnished, the people will resort to mere 
■animal and baser gratifications. TMs is a law of nature, 
2 



174 RELATION OP EDUCATION TO PREVENTION OF CRIME, 

which laws made by man, Avill in vain attempt to change or 
counteract. 

Hence the importance of cultivating a habit of reading and 
supplying the means of gratifying a taste for reading. It was 
remarked by a foreigner that very few of our large libraries 
are open to the public. In Europe the reverse is the practice. 
Hence too the importance of cultivating the practice of vocal 
and instrumental music, not merely for religious purposes, but 
for social improvement. 

The only danger to be apprehended from moral instruction 
in our schools, arises from the spirit of sectarianism. That it 
may be perverted to sectarianism is true. But as all sects 
agree in the necessity of moral instruction, and as the attempt 
of any sect to teach its own creed, would inevitably tend to 
break up any system of public education, and to substitute in 
their stead sectarian or denominational schools which would 
leave a large portion of our country without any education at 
all, it is to be hoped that enough charity and forbearance will 
be found among the different cliurches to avoid this evil. We 
should endeavor to give the youth a sound intellectual and 
moral training, to teach them how to think, not what to think. 
We should not suffer ourselves to be haunted with the fear 
that they will think differently from ourselves on some subject 
of religion or politics. Parental influence will always incline 
the child to the opinions of the parent without much direct 
teaching. If we are well grounded in our opinions and believe 
them well founded in argument, we should not be afraid of 
our success. It is generally in proportion to our distrust of 
our opinions and to the weakness of the arguments on which 
we have adopted them that we are inclined to quarrel with 
those who doubt or deny them. And it is only by a full ac- 
knowledgement of the right of private judgment in others, 
and cultivating in our own hearts a spirit of charity towards 
them, that we can avoid the dangers which surround this 
question. 

If moral instruction cannot be given without being made a 
means of proselytism on sectarian or political questions, I would 
say at once that it should be excluded. 

Let us then consider for a few moments what portions of 
morals may with propriety be taught, and the best manner of 
teaching them ; what should be taught, and how. 

A full classification of the subject would of course include 
many things which could not well be taught to the classes of 
smaller children, such as compose the great majority in our 
schools. They could not appreciate, and would not profit by 
systematic instruction. There are certain classes of duties, too, 
in which in orderly old settled communities— children gain in- 



RELATION OF EDUCATION TO PREVENTION OF CRIME. 175 

struction at chugrch and at home ; their duties to God, their 
parents, and the family relations, the duty of justice to others, of 
honesty as to property, and of veracity. In orderly society there 
is a feehng of honor attached to the performance of some of these 
duties, and of meanness to their violation which is a great addi- 
tional motive to doing right. 

■ But, without much system, important instruction may be 
given in regard to the nature of conscience, and its development 
■aided. They may be warned against the various modes by 
which conscience may be blinded or misled. The illusions pro- 
duced by passion, interest, by looking to the end as justifying 
the means, may be rendered intelligible to all. But it may be 
more difficult and require more maturity in the scholar to un- 
derstand and properly to judge of the variety of opinions re- 
specting the moral nature of particular acts, produced by asso- 
ciation and the complexity of actions. These can only be 
understood after considerable acquaintance with the operations 
and laws of the human mind. 

There are some classes of duties which it is very difficult to 
define, and which law therefore can very seldom punish, but 
which are most essential to the happiness of society, and shoul(| 
receive our constant attention both in the school and out of it — I 
mean, our duties to others in regard to their feelings, if I may so 
express it. And it is in regard to this very class of duties, that 
the moral instruction of both young and old, in schools, colleges 
and at home, is probably most deficient. How many men who 
would scorn to injure their neighbors property, will yet make 
sport of injuring their feelings. If they can excite a quarrel, 
prejudice one person against another ; if there are any subjects 
which they know to be peculiarly unpleasant, which the person 
addressed would like to have forgotten, anything calculated 
to produce a feeling of disgrace, or of physical or intellec- 
tual inferiority, or in any way to disturb his peace of mind, 
they perhaps take delight in suggesting it, in bringing it 
forward to public gaze, or if they do not absolutely take de- 
light in it and do it purposely, they are not sufficiently 
cautious in guarding against it. " A blow with a word strikes 
deeper than a blow with a sword." And when we reflect 
how much of the happiness of life is made up of littfe 
things, how much it depends upon attention to the feelings 
of others, we see the importance of attending to it in early 
education. 

A disposition to attend to the wants and feelings of others, 
and promote their happiness, united to a certain degree of 
knowledge of the conventional usages of society, constitutes 
what we call manners or politeness. Considered merely as re- 
gards the child's chances of success in life, it would be worthy 



176 RELATION OP EDUCATION TO PREVENTION OF CRIMEv 

of attention. But my object is to speak of. it as a duty.— 
Even in the gravest concerns in life, the manner is frequently 
as important as the matter of the deed. 

This same regard to the feelings of others of which I have 
been speaking, will also lead us to be cautious how we do or 
say anything to affect their reputation. Of all the tittle-tattle 
and slander that is circulating in the world, the probability is, 
that a very small portion originates from malice or a direct 
design to mjure. A great deal of it originates from careless- 
ness, from a desire to fall in with what we suppose to be the 
prevailing humor of the company present ; but probably by 
far the greater part, from vacancy of mind — from want of ac- 
quaintance with other and more proper subjects of conversa- 
tion. Education and extension of information v/ill supply us 
with other means of occupying our minds and maintaining 
conversation, but it is only a regard for the feelings of others 
which can entirely restrain this mischievous propensity. 

In regard to the manner of teaching morals to the very 
young, there can be but very little difference of opinion. Be- 
fore they can understand a system, they must have the ele- 
mentary notions upon which a system is founded. The moral 
sentiment is first to be called out, trained, and developed. — 
And in doing this we should follow the course of nature. A 
moral lesson suggested by some occasion in school life, will 
make a permanent impression upon a child and be remem- 
bered and recalled whenever a similar occasion presents itself; 
while a moral lesson upon the same subject, but unconnected 
with any present application, would be soon forgotten and 
would not be so likely to be recalled or suggest itself to the 
mind in case of need. Alcott's Record of a School and his 
Conversations on the Gospels, may suggest to a teacher many 
good ideas as to the best method of conducting conversations 
or remarks on this subject ; and they have the advantage of 
being not imaginary but the record of real conversations which 
actually took place in his school. 

• " Moral instruction (says Wilm) ought to be less teaching 
than development ; and it ought to aim less at conveying to 
the pupils some propositions as coming from the master and 
las forming a science invented by the genius of man, than at 
making them spring from the depths of his own conscious- 
ness." 

" If (says Sir James Macintosh) we were to devise a meth- 
od for infusing morality into the tender minds of youth, we 
should certainly not attempt it by arguments and rules, by 
definition and demonstration. We should certainly endeavor 
to attain our object by insinuating morals in the disguise of 
history, poetry and eloquence ; by heroic examples, by pathet- 



RELATION OP EDUCATION TO PREVENTION OF CRIME. 177 

ic incidents, by sentiments that either exalt and fortify or soft- 
en and melt the human heart. If philosophical ingenuity 
were to devise a plan of moral instruction, these I think would 
be its outlines." 

"As hieroglyphics preceded letters, so parables are older 
than arguments, And even now, if any one wishes to pour 
new light into any human intellect, and to do so expediently 
and pleasantly, he must proceed in the same way and call in 
the assistance of parables." — Lord Bacon 

That these are the correct principles on which morals 
should be taught to the young, 1 suppose there can be very 
little doubt. To older scholars and classes, scientific treatises 
may be of advantage, but to mere children they would be in- 
comprehensible. The conscience must be cultivated as occa- 
sions arise and the moral feelings called out and exercised up- 
on the various events in school and home life before they can 
make themselves or can understand from others, the general- 
izations which make the moral code. Not that the teacher 
should wait for great occasions or displays of unusual passion 
or violence. The occasions will be constantly occurring. — 
Lessons upon characters and events in history are highly re- 
commended by Kant and Wilm ; and the influence of the se- 
lections in the reading books which are used in our schools, in 
forming the moral character of the pupils, can hardly be over- 
rated. But above all, let not the teacher forget the influence of 
his own example. 

With regard to the greater part of children, at least of those 
who do not see very bad examples at home, the teacher's 
greatest difliculty will probably be, not in teaching them what 
is right and what is wrong, but in persuading them to do 

right. And the difficulty is the same with older people - 

Most of the duties of ordinary life are plain. We all know 
tolerably well what is right in any given case. In pronounc- 
ing an opinion on the conduct of others we seldom disagree. 
But how seldom do we ourselves do what we know to be right. 
We need motives to do right, we need to have our disposition 
to do right strengthened and confirmed. We need to enlight- 
en conscience and give force to its decisions ; and some times 
perhaps must call in the aid of the sanctions of religion. 

We are too apt to appeal both with the old and young to 
motives of interest to induce them to do right. Honesty may 
be and no doubt is the best policy, and yet that may be a 
very mean motive for a man's being honest. There is a strong 
temptation to use this motive with children because they can 
easily be made to understand it. But is there no fear that we 
may make too much of this and lead them to undervalue 
other motives, so that other motives will have little influence 
over them ? And will not the consequence be, that when they 



178 RELATION OF EDUCATION TO PREVENTION OF CRIME. 

come to grow up and find, as they often will, that they cannot 
succeed in some favorite project honestly — that honesty does- 
not always secure wealth, but is very often an obstacle to it, — 
the foundation of their morality gives way, and they have not 
been accustomed to the control of better motives. 

It may be questionable whether it would not be better to do 
nothing at all, than to appeal as often as we do to improper 
motives to encourage the young to what we deem a right 
course of action. It is a common practice to pay children for 
being good. And when they get to be children of a larger 
growth, we still appeal to the same motives. We tell them 
that doing good or a correct course will insure success in life. 
We make too much of prosperity, success and wealth. Econ- 
omy and correct conduct will, it is true, secure the means of 
living, but those generally best succeed in obtaining wealth 
who make the most sacrifices of time and of personal comfort 
for it, and too often of honesty too. We should try to impress 
on them that true success, considered in relation to the great 
end of life, does not consist in making a show or in making a 
noise in the world ; but that the approbation of conscience is 
better than all else. 

One of the ancient moralists has represented human life as 
a sort of a market in which various commodities, healthy wealth, 
literary distinction, military glory are exposed for sale, and we 
can have whatever we choose if we pay the price for it. 

Mrs. Barbauld has taken up this idea and most eloquently 
expanded and illustrated it in a passage which I will quote. 

*'We should consider this world as a great mart of commerce 
where fortune exposes to our view various commodities, riches, ease, 
tranquillity, fame, integrity, knowledge. Everything is marked at a 
settled price. Our time, our labor, our ingenuity, are so much money 
which we are to lay out to the best advantage. 

" Examine, compare, choose, reject ; but stand to your own judg- 
ment ; and do not, like children, when you have purchased one thing, 
repine that you do not possess another which you did not purchase. 

" Such is the force of well-regulated industry, that a steady and 
vigorous exertion of our faculties, directed to one end, will generally 
insure success. Would you for instance, be rich ? Do you think 
that single point worth the sacrificing everything else to ? 

" You may then be rich. Thousands have become so from the 
lowest beginnings, by toil and patience, diligence, and attention to 
the minutest articles of expense and profit. But you must give up 
the pleasures of leisure, of a vacant mind, of a free unsuspicious tem- 
per. If you preserve your integrity, it must be a coarse-spun and 
vulgar honesty. Those high and lofty notions of morals which you 
brought with you from the schools, must be considerably lowered, 
and mix with the baser alloy of a jealous and worldly-minded pru- 



RKLATION OF EDUCATIOL TO PREVENTION OF CRIME. 179 

dence. You must learn to do hard if not unjust things ; and for the 
nice embarrassments of a delicate and ingenuous spirit, it is necessary 
for you to get rid of them as fast as possible. You must shut your 
heart against the Muses, and content to feed your understanding with 
plain household truths. In short, you must not attempt to enlarge 
your ideas, or polish your taste or refine your sentiments ; but must 
keep in one beaten track, without turning aside either to the right 
hand or left. ' But I cannot submit to drudgery like this, I feel above 
it.' 'Tis well : be above it then ; only do not repine that you are 
notricli. 

" Is knowledge the pearl of price ? That too may be purchased 
— by steady application, and long solitary hours of study and reflec- 
tion. Bestow these, and you ehall be wise. But (says the man of 
letters) what a hardship it is that many an illiterate fellow, who caa- 
not construe the motto of the arms on his coach, shall raise a fortune 
and make a figure, while I have little more than the common conven- 
iences of life. 

" Et tihi magna satis ! Was it in order to raise a fortune that 
you consumed the sprightly hours of youth in study and retirement ? 
Was it to be rich that you grew pale over the midnight lamp, and dis- 
tilled the sweetness from the Greek and Roman spring ? 

" You have then mistaken your path, and ill employed your indus- 
try. 'What reward have 1 then for all my labors ?' What reward ! 
A large comprehensive soul, well purged from vulgar fears, and per- 
turbations, and prejudices ; able to comprehend and interpret the 
works of man — of God : A rich flourishing, cultivated mind, preg- 
nant with inexhaustible stores of entertainment and reflection. A 
perpetual spring of fresh ideas ,* and the conscious dignity of supe- 
rior intelligence. Good heaven ! and what reward can you ask 
besides ? 

" But is it not some reproach upon the economy of Providence that 
such a one, who is a mean dirty fellow should have amassed wealth 
enough to buy half a nation ?' Not in the least. He made himself 
a mean dirty fellow for that very end. He has paid his health, his 
conscience, his liberty for it : and will you envy him for his bargain ? 
Will you hang your head and blush in his presence because he out- 
shines you in equipage and show ? Lift up your brow with a noble 
confidence and say to yourself, I have not these things, it is true ; 
but it is because I have not sought, because I have not desired them ; 
it is because I possess something better. I have chosen my lot, I am 
content and satisfied. 

" You are a modest man — you love quiet and independence, and 
have a delicacy and reserve in your temper, which renders it impos- 
sible for you to elbow your way in the world, and be the herald of 
your own merits. Be content then with a modest retirement, with 
the esteem of your intimate friends, with the praises of a blameless 
heart, but resign the splendid distinctions of the world to those who 
can better scramble for them. 

" The man whose tender sensibility of conscience, and strictregard 
to the rules of morality make him scrupulous and fearful of offend- 



180 RELATION OF EDUCATION TO PREVENTION OF CRIME. 

ing, is often heard to complain of the disadvantage he lies under in 
every path of honor and profit. Could I but get over some nice points 
and conform to the practice and opinion of those about me, I might 
stand as fair a chance as others for dignities and preferment. And 
why can you not? What hinders you from discarding this trouble- 
some scrupulosity of yours, which stauds so grievously in your way ? 
•If it be a small thing to enjoy a healthful mind, sound at the very 
core, that does not shrink from the keenest inspection ; inward free- 
dom from remorse and purturbation ; unsullied whiteness and sim- 
plicity of manners ; a genuine integrity 

Pure in the last recesses of the mind ; 

if you think these advantages an inadequate recompense for what you 
resign, dismiss your scruples this instant, and be a slave-merchant, a 
parasite, or — what you please." 

But while we make persevering efforts for the promotion ot 
education, we ought not, on the other hand, to be discouraged 
if we do not see any sudden or immediate results from our la- 
bbrs. The leaven of Christianity has been working in the 
world for eighteen hundred years, and the world is not yet 
.Christian. If we make up our minds — as I think we must, 
without, regard to statistics — that education does promote the 
welfare of a people as well as the good of the individual, we 
shall be prepared not to be alarmed by any apparent results 
of statistics. Most of the communities of the civilized world 
may be said to be in a transition state from ignorance to 
knowledge ; and it is this fact, that their condition is a trans- 
ition one, which enables us to account satisfactorily for many 
things which the tables of crime exhibit to us. They have 
lost that sort of contentedness and negative happiness which 
Tesults from brute ignorance in the mass and a strong govern- 
ment in the hands of the few, and they have not yet reached 
that state of intellectual and moral knowledge where each 
man is a law unto himself. The elements of society are in 
conflict, and we cannot expect peace ; but better, far better, is 
any condition — conflicts, wars, and rumors of wars — than the 
apparent peace of quiet and submissive ignorance. Individuals 
may suffer, humanity must gain. 

So in regard to the wonderful increase of wealth in the 
present age. The first effect of the increase of wealth, and 
while it is in the hands of the few, is to offer temptations to 
xrime ; and we see, as a consequence, an increase of certain 
sorts of offences in wealthy communities. But may we not 
■ hope, that as wealth becomes diffused, as its beneficial effects 
are felt through all classes of society, as the luxuries of one 
■age become the necessaries of life to the next, as the poor ob- 
tain comforts in one age which before only wealth could pur- 



EELATION OF EDUCAION TO PREVENTION OF CRIME. IS"! 

chase, the class of crimes arising from disparity of weaUh 
will diminish. Poverty and distress we know to be fruitful 
sources of those offences which our laws denounce as crimes. 
As these disappear before the progress of education and wealth, 
we may hope for a better state of society. If the diffusion of 
wealth is a blessing, then we must bear with whatever is 
necessary to this dilihsion. So the principle of competition ap- 
pears to be a necessary concomitant of the increase of wealth 
— yet it leads to a great amount of misery and crime. In this 
light, we should look upon these evils as temporary ones — as 
the undeniable consequences of our being in what I have 
called a transition state. 

These considerations serve to show us that while we should 
not indulge unreasonable expectations from moral education, 
we need not be without hope. We cannot expect, and perhaps 
ought not to, to remove all temptations from the way of youth. 
That virtue is of but little worth which has been brought up 
as a tender plant in the shade, and which is only virtue be- 
cause it has never been exposed. We should rather endeavor 
to cultivate a moral energy which may be acquainted with vice 
and misery, and yet not be contaminated by it. 

In conclusion, I would say, that we ought not to be disap- 
pointed if we do not see immediately from our system the re- 
sults which we may think we have a right to look for. It is 
unreasonable to expect that all our towns or all our districts 
should at once come up to the standard which we have fixed 
in our own minds as desirable and attainable. It is the policy 
of our laws, and the only policy consistent with the principles 
of a free government, to allow to towns and to districts the 
management of their own schools, subject to such general rules 
as the common good may require. Compulsion is against the 
spirit of our institutions and of our laws. We might by the ex- 
ercise of the central power of the State, force upon a town or 
district a school somewhat in advance of what the town or dis- 
trict would otherwise establish. But it will probably be found 
to be the wisest course in the end, to rely upon means of per- 
suasion, to endeavor to influence the minds of the people by ar- 
gument and information, and we shall thus make a progress 
peaceful and sure, though slow. 

E. R. POTTER, 

Comm'r of Pub. Schools. 

Kingston, R. I., January, A. D. 1852. 



182 



TABULAR STATEMENT. 



Table No. 1, accompanying the Report of the Commissioner of 
Public Schools. 



OOoO«DOOO — oooooooo 
OOoOOOOO^OOOOOOOO 

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0000(>)0000000000(?<OC^ 

o_ in o o_ n <M__in <N r- n p. c» ri »n. •-I •-" 

■^ CO CO C*f I-*" W r" 



ooino — ooc»oc^ooo 

OOOOOOOOt^O-"*©©© 
Ooooinoom-Hincoooo 



c-a 3 
a 



(MtNomooo oo — oino 
,-<Tj>o»n<NOO intoiNt^eot- 



OOOOOtOCNtNOOmOCOlM 
r-<O<N<M->!j<00C^C0000^00 

Ol(M00t-.O(N<M«Di-iO-* 
C0C0--0»t^<£>!O00O5«D00 

ci (N r-T ,_r .-T lo" rt' CO ■-<' 



CO O t^ 
lO O <N 

o' ■* «r 



0» O ■* CO 05 t^ t^ 
C^ CO O 00 O 05 i-l 

o» t>. r- >n 00 »o o 



ooooo^~^-la>(^^>nc35lM(^^>nmeo<^^OOl^~;oocooo-*'*o»o^n(^^oo^o 
int^toocot-iMc^CTiooi-icoooirjooot^'-'cot^cooooio-^oo^ot^Oi-it-. 

a>C)^-mr^— ir)<Tj'cj50co-^Oi^Ti<oiM(Moo<Nooo05t^.-iTjir^,-<iomt^ 

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rt' in OO" CO' «^ (N i-< r-T (>r i-T «0 ,-;■-(' CO r-T rn rH 0^' rH f-l' CO r-T TjT i-T 






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OlMOOtJ'-^O^-^COOlOOOCOOOt^-tJilNt^Cvlr-iClOOinOJOC^OOl^ 

ooincot--m>no»i— ii— 11— ioso»oot-.oo-^'^Ttitoo»t~-0"ns<)r>.05too»-*io 

0<N<>)OtDaiO'^t--'^(>)S^'*tOi— iTJ<r- iC0CnOt~-C0tOtOtDtOTj<C0^0»» 
O-*->*ir<-tJ<C(r-<l?li-(NC0 ■* eOi-l r-l !>i •* 



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OOOOOOOOr^OOOOOOOOOOOOitooOOOt^OTCOOO 

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0000(MOOOOOOOOinOOO(NtOOO-*00-*OJOOOr-ir-iinOO 

o>noo_coooin(Np-<-*o_c^r-iin<Mi-i -^ tn n •-> i-ir-<tocorHi-i(Mcoc>4 

CO CO" Co' <?» Co" 1-^ Oi ^ 






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<N — inco-<''-'05^-aoincO"-tOi— ito 
c. tococooinoo5t^-*tot--.Tt'<i't^ 

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12; oi 






TABULAR STATEMENT. 



183 



Table No. 2, accompanying the Report of the Commissioner 
of Public Schools. 





Districts 


School H 


auses 


Scholars. 


Teach'r* 


TOWNS. 


'c 
a 

O 


d) 
.2 
'S 

OS 

o 

1 


a 
o 

•a 

a> 
a 

O 


00 


o 
.£ 

p. 
2 

Ph 




.2 

a 


5 
o 


S 

> 


"3 


a 


Providence, 












3,121 


3,743 


6,864 


5,742 


12 


96 


North Providence 


10 






10 




953 


812 


1,763 


990 


8 


17 


Smithfield 


36 






24 


11 


1,139 


1,080 


2,311 


1,762 


23 


23 


Cumberland 


20 






17 




654 


653 


1,307 


971 


12 


21 


Scituate 


17 






17 




497 


328 


825 


545 


13 


9 


Cranston 


11 






11 




548 


346 


894 


597 


5 


10 


Johnston 












356 


234 


478 


420 


10 


5 


Glocester 


13 






12 


1 


237 


162 


422 


299 


3 


10 


Foster 


19 






11 


8 


303 


231 


534 


341 


16 


8 


Burrillville 


16 






16 




495 


332 


737 


518 


7 


15 


Newport 






2 




6 


642 


587 


1,229 


950 


5 


12 


Portsmouth 


7 






7 




196 


122 


318 


219 


6 


1 


Middletown 


5 






5 




106 


57 


163 


103 


5 


3 


Tiverton 


17 






16 


1 


548 


430 


978 


708 


10 


12 


Little Compton 


9 


1 




9 


1 


258 


171 


429 


202 


9 


10 


New Shoreham 


5 






5 




179 


208 


392 


188 


4 


1 


Jamestown 


2 




2 






37 


38 


75 


40 


2 


2 


South Kingstown 


20 


1 




18 


3 


502 


383 


885 


639 


14 


8 


Westerly 


10 






10 




299 


207 


506 


410 


9 


2 


North Kingstown 


15 






12 


3 


368 


271 


639 


459 


9 


8 


Exeter 


13 






13 




313 


127 


338 


236 


10 


2 


Charlestown 


6 


1 




5 


3 


138 


110 


248 


166 


7 


5 


Hopkinton 


12 






12 




304 


242 


546 


378 


10 


1 


Kichmond 


13 






12 


1 


212 


178 


390 


273 


12 


1 


Warwick 


14 


1 




12 


2 


675 


638 


1,313 


908 


11 


11 


Coventry 


18 






14 


3 


383 


275 


658 


413 


12 


5 


East Greenwich 


1 


4 


5 






243 


120 


366 


233 


5 


2 


West Greenwich 
























Bristol 






7 






370 


264 


634 


579 


4 


10 


Warren 












175 


156 


331 


321 






Barringtoa 


3 
312 


8 




3 




72 


66 


139 


108 


3 


3 




16 


271 


42 


14,133 


13,521 


26.712 


19,719 


256 


313 



TABULAR STATEMENT. 



Table No. 3, accompanying the Report of the Commissioner 
of Public Schools, 







1 
o 

o 

CO 


0) 

o 

§ 

a 
o 


STATISTICS FBOM NSW CENSUS. 




a fl 






a 

s 

ft 








§ 

C3 


TOWNS. 


ga 


6 


rt 


o a ^ 


2. a 


o « 


•a 






'O.C 


£« 




5 = . 




w 

g 

> 
< 


111 

O (U > 

P4T3 O 


V 


0* 


.2 ' 


! 

4) 

Q 
7 


§ 
a. 

M 

121 


•o 

B 

5 

9 


IS 

tS,705 




Providence 


9,716 05 


6,864 


5,742 


9,150 


4,136 i 13,286 


~i 


179 


North Providence 


1.857 50 


1,763 


990 


1,743 


797 


2,540 


1 3 


4 


2 


1.310 


433 


Smithfield 


2,759 19 2,3111 


1,792 


2,701 


1.072 


3,773 


1 5 


4 


4 


2,281 


469 


Cumberland 


1.578 87 


1.307 


971 


1,472 


687 


2,159 


3 3 


3 




1,234 


301 


8cituate 


1.026 74 


'825 


645 


1,021 


382 


1,404 


2;i 


2 


2 


995 


66 


Cranston 


1,115 96 


894 


497 


1,072 


454 


1,526 


5' 4 


4 




869 


91 


Johnston 


752 61 


478 


320 


751 


278 


1.029 


2| 1 




1 


617 


3 


Gloceeter 


623 80 


422 


299 


593 


260 


853 


3 4 


4 


3 


691 


66 


Foster 


475 35 


684 


341 


457 


193 


650 


lo; s 


4 


2 


495 


13 


Burrillville 


865 86 


737 


518 


822 


362 


1,184 


2 2 


1 




845 


93 


Newport 


2,122 23 


1,229 


950 


2,102 


800 


2,002 


44 


16 


5 


1,556 


212 


Portsmouth 


449 02 


318 


219 


448 


166 


614 


5 3 


4 




442 


81 


Middletown 


189 41 


163 


103 


478 


81 


259 


1 


1 




163 


1 


Tiverton 


1,302 44 


978 


708 


1.274 


507 


1,781 


24 2 


3 


S 


1,208 


309 


Litte Compton 


356 87 


429 


202 


288 


100 


488 




1 


2 




503 




New Shoreham 


369 81 


392 


188 


382 


123 


505 


6 


4 




4 


402 


8 


Jamestown 


67 28 


75 


40 


62 


30 


92 




1 


2 




69 




South Kingstown 


961 69 


885 


639 


952 


363 


1,315 




1 


5 


1 


929 


71 


"Westerly 


663 29 


506 


410 


649 


258 


907 


3 6 


3 




634 


40 


North Kingstown 


711 56 


639 


459 


715 


25ft 


973 


5! 4 


7 


5 


778 


111 


Exeter 


432 20 


338 


236 


407 


184 


591 


1 8 


4 


6 


406 


42 


Charlestown 


247 18 


248 


166 


252 


86 


338 


2 2 




1 


243 


13 


Hopkinton 


655 24 


546 


378 


660 


236 


896 


5 1 


3 




691 


80 


Kichmoud 


418 30 


390 


273 


416 


156 


572 


1 


1 




363 


9 


Warwick 


1,755 86 


1,313 


908 


1,793 


608 


2,401 


3 2 


9 




1,385 


85 


Coventry- 


841 OC 


658 


413 


841 


309 


i;i50 


1 1 


6 


1 


213 


99 


East Greenwich 


544 82 


366 


233 


663 


182 


745 


3 


1 


1 


511 


86 


West Greenwich 


324 7C 






311 


133 


444 


2 


4 


2 


201 




Bristol 


1,080 86 


634 


579 


1,074 


404 


1,478 


6 


6 




99S 


141 


Warren 


583 31 


331 


321 


567 


232 


799 


4 1 


10 


3 


655 


43 


Harrington 


148 45 


139 


108 


143 


60 


203 






65 


Wi 


1 




'26.712 


19,71S 


33.959 13,898 


47 857 


108 68 


233 


28,331 


3 744 



APPENDIX No. 1, 



NORMAL DEPARTMENT IN BROWN UNIVERSITY- 

LETTER FROM PROF. GREENE. 

Pkovidence, February 12, 1852, 
Hon. E. R. Potter : 

Dear Sir : — You ask me to give you information respecting 
the organization, course of instruction, and present condition and 
prospects of the Normal Department of Brown University. In com- 
pliance with this request, permit me to premise that the enterprise 
is yet in its infancy, — the first class having been formed at the com- 
mencement of the present collegiate year. Hence little can be said 
of results. It promises well. All that could be reasonably hoped, 
during so short a period, has been realized. The department is in- 
tended to fit teachers for the practical duties of the school room. 
The course of instruction, the drill exercises, all tend towards this 
point. 

Two things are contemplated in the plan of organization. Of 
these that which is peculiar to the department is the professional 
training which the course in Didactics is intended to give. 

The second is the literary and scientific discipline which the va- 
rious courses afford to those who seek for situations in the higher 
grades of schools. Those who are candidates for degrees are, in the 
regular order of study, pursuing these courses. To such, the Nor- 
mal department is a kind of professional school, to fit them for their 
chosen occupation. But to those who come mainly to study Didac- 
tics, and yet wish to extend their literary and scientific researches, 
without obtaining a degree, the collegiate courses afford peculiar ad- 
vantages. The student is placed at once in a literary atmosphere. 
He is in daily contact with scholars. He has access to a large and 



ibb APPENDIX. 

valuable library. The principles of Chemistry and Natural Philoso* 
phy are illustrated by an extensive and well chosea apparatus. His- 
tory, English literature, Rhetoric, and English Composition, are all 
taught by able professors. And if he cliooses to pursue one or more 
of the languages, he has the privilege of doing it. All these can be 
attended to in connection with Didactics. 

But that the advantages of the department may be enjoyed still 
more widely, a second class, of a more popular character, has been 
organized. This class is attending a course of lectures and drill ex- 
ercises at the lecture room of the High School. It is opened for 
those teachers, male or female, who seek for situations in Grammar 
and Primary Schools, and who have already made sufficient progress 
in the elementary branches to fit them for their profession. The ex- 
ercises here are purely didactic. The principles of the art of teach- 
ing are distinctly stated and illustrated before the class ; and to ren- 
der the work more effective, the members themselves are called out 
individually to give elementary lessons, — regarding the class for the 
time as their school. The skill and efficiency with which these ex- 
ercises are conducted become, at once, a test of ability, aptness to 
teach, self possession, and power to command attention. This class, 
thus far, has been chiefly composed of ladies, mostly from Providence 
and the" surrounding towns. It consists at present of upwards of 
sixty members. 

The course of instruction in both classes is, in its general spirit, 
the same ; but in form it differs, to adapt it to the different degress of 
attainment of the two. All instructions are given by lectures and 
practical exercises. The aim of these lectures and exercises is to 
reach the elementary steps in every branch taught in our schools 
which can be most easily and readily comprehended by the child. 
It has also been our aim to determine not only what faculties of the 
child should be first addressed, but also the point of view from which 
instruction should be presented to them. 

Every subject may be said to have an interior and an exterior 
point of view, from which it may be examined. There is a vital 
element and an outward manifestation, which is only an unfolding 
of the former. He only can be said to comprehend a subject who 
examines it from its spirit and intent. When approached from this 
interior poini of view, a subject does not lose its identity though it 



ArPENDIX. 187 

assume a variety of forms ; whereas, when viewed through some out" 
ward manifestation, it is usually seen only through a particular form 
and that but dimly. For example, the learner is told by the formal- 
ist in Arithmetic, that he must place vmits under units, tens under 
tens, hundreds under hundreds, &c. Why he should do so, he can- 
not tell. He is not made to feel the fitness of it, but obeys simply 
the letter of the rule. And in Addition, he must begin at the right 
hand, and add up the first column, writing underneath the entire 
sum, if it do not exceed nine, but writing only the right-hand figure 
and carrying the left to the next upper column, if the sum be greater 
than nine. To the learner thus taught, all these directions become 
in-wrought into the very idea of Addition, as though they were vital 
to it. He supposes this the only mode of adding : and that any de- 
viation from it is a violation of essential principles. Now let the 
same learner become familiar with every feature of the Arabic sys- 
tem of Notation as an ingenious invention — let him see how it can, 
with a few characters, represent all possible numbers— let him see 
by contrasting it with other methods, as the Koman, for example, 
what unparalleled facilities it affords for carrying on arithmetical 
operations — let him understand the fundamental principle that wholes 
are added to wholes when we unite all their corresponding parts — ■ 
and he will at once see that it will make, essentially, no 'difference 
whether we begin at the right hand, or the left, or in the middle, or 
whether we add up or doion, if so be that all the corresponding parts 
are united, and each figure has the place which its value demands. 
If, at length, it should be found by repeated experiments that it is 
more convenient to begin at the right hand, that conve7iience will 
then be appreciated, but appreciated as a convenience, and not as 
something essential. Now when the learner looks at Addition from 
this point of view, he will see, whatever may be the mode of adding, 
that every method is pervaded by one and the same principle, viz : 
that wholes, however large, are added to wholes when we unite their 
corresponding parts, and that it is the crowning excellence of the 
Arabic method of Notation, that it represents all numbers in corre- 
sponding parts, as units, tens, &c., and that these parts, taken sepa- 
rately, are small numbers, and easily comprehended. 

This interior view is capable of indefinite illustrations drawn from 
Arithmetic, Eeading, Grammar, History, Geography, and in fact, all 



188 APPENDliC. 

the branches taught in our schools. It has been the chief aim of oixt 
course in Didactics, to open and unfold the methods by which the va- 
Tious branches may be presented from this point of view, to children. 
In no department has it been found necessary to labor more assidu- 
ously than in that of Reading. The elements of Reading, if taught 
at all, are too apt to be exhibited in the form of rules which cannot 
be readily comprehended, much less exemplified by the pupil. They 
are usually either a dead letter, or are exemplified only by a servile 
imitation of the teacher's voice. Now he who looks ata^ubject from 
this interior point, needs no rule, — the thought and feeling of the 
writer is his rule ; in other words, the rule is to give just such an 
expression of the spirit and life of the subject as one would naturally 
give to it himself, were he to embody it in his own words. 

Two things are needed to secure good reading. Foremost and 
chief, is a delicate appreciation of the sentiment to be expressed ; and 
then such a training of the vocal organs as will secure a forcible, clear, 
distinct, and musical utterance of that sentiment. 

He, therefore, who would teach Reading well, must dwell much 
upon the thought; he must cultivate the "mind's eye" of the child, 
that he may see what the writer saw, feel what the writer felt, and 
then express these thoughts and feelings without restraint. In so 
doing, the pupil, by his own voice, exemplifies the rules of good 
Reading, at first without knowing it; at length, his own utterance 
furnishes him with the rules for stress, force, inflection, quantity, rate, 
pitch, emphasis, cadence, modulation, -fee. &c. But all this must be 
under the guidance of an experienced teacher, who can himself ap- 
preciate and exemplify all these qualities of good Reading, and draw 
the attention of the learner to what his own voice illustrates. Hence, 
the necessity of such Normal exercises as will prepare teachers to 
take up Reading from the right point of view. The first error in 
teaching children to read, lies at the very foundation. The first les- 
son is usually wrong. Instead of presenting a child at the outset with 
ti letter, as a mere form for him to look at, and name, the teacher 
should give him an elementary sound and require him to utter it, — 
then another, and so on» The letter should afterwards be given as a 
symbol of the sound, to be associated with it, at first as an aid to his 
memory, and finally, as a permanent representation. In this way, 



APPENDIX. 189 

the letter means something ; and in combining letters into syllables 
and words, their utility is readily appreciated. 

The next error lies in an almost total neglect of the thought^ in the 
mechanical process which the pupil must go through in spelling out 
the words of his reading lesson. Hence that stiff, broken, school-boy 
style of reading which is so disagreeable. It lacks soul — is wholly 
devoid of thought. To improve it, the unskilful teacher urges the 
child to " speak up loud," and " read faster," thus involving him in 
two other errors, — if possible, worse than the first, — and that, too, 
without correcting the first. The child's voice must, as soon as pos- 
sible, be placed under the supremacy of thought ; then will this me- 
chanical utterance yield to a life-like and graceful expression of the 
sentiment of the writer. Our exercises in the classes have aimed to 
exemplify this mode of teaching Reading. 

I have thus given you a few specimens of the methods which have 
been adopted in our course in Didactics. Suffice it to say, that sim- 
%r methods are adopted in all the school branches. We have not 
been through with an entire course in any one; this would be im- 
possible in the time allowed us. But we have given specimens of 
what may be called elementary teaching in the various departments 
of each. It has been our aim to show Jiow this kind of teaching 
should be conducted, in a suitable number of examples, and leave to 
the members the work of applying it universally. We have aimed 
to make them independent teachers, not leaning servilely upon the 
text-book. Those who give a good elementary lesson without a 
text-book, will be most likely to use that instrument to the best ad- 
vantage. Such is the course of instruction, so far as I can represent 
it in this short space. It should be added, that my connection with 
the Public Schools of Providence, enables me to give the members of 
the classes peculiar facilities for improvement. 

What cannot be seen in exercises conducted before the Normal 
class, since the members are not children, but only supposed to be 
for the time, may be witnessed in reality in the different grades of 
our Public Schools. To these schools, all the members of the class 
have free access. Here they can witness a practical exemplification 
of the principles to which their attention has been called. 

Upwards of eighty persons have availed themselves of the opportu- 
nity which these exercises afford, since the opening of the Depart- 

4 



190 APPENDIX, 

ment last September, It will be seen from this brief sketch of the 
organizaticn and condition of these classes, that a wider range for 
culture and mental improvement is h^^re aflorded than in any Normal 
School in the country. He who would with a liberal education pre- 
pare himself for teaching in Academies and High Schools, has here 
an opportunity for so doing. He, again, who would pursue a shorter 
yet thorough course, can accommodate himself to his wishes and cir- 
cumstances. And yet, again, he who wishes to combine the advan' 
tagos of tho Normal School and Teachers' Institute, may attend a 
course of lectures during the autumn and spring. 

Again, it will be seen that the exercises appropriately belonging to 
the Department are strictly didactic, not academic, the latter being 
furnished by the college courses. The question is not, have you at- 
tended to such a branch? but, how would you teach it to a beginner? 
How to one more advanced? What means would you adopt to se- 
cure order and thrift in a school? To inspire the pupil with enthu, 
siasm ? To create a love for study ? To raise him to a perception 
of what is noble, and worthy of his aspiration ? And yet, it is obvi- 
ous that every branch taken from this point of view assumes a new 
and peculiar interest, which leads to a far better comprehension of 
the branch itself, than when learned merely as a school task. A 
task accomplished simply for the recitation room, is often only half 
learned ; it is committed to the memory, rather than the understand- 
ing. But when learned by one who feels himself responsible for an 
explanation of every idea it contains, it must be thoroughly learned. 
He must know not only the lesson itself, but its various relations to 
collateral subjects. He cannot slight it, and then expect to teach it 
successfully. Hence, although the student, on entering this depart- 
ment, is supposed already to know what he is now learning to teach ; 
yet he will find his knowledge of the various branches greatly im- 
proved from the new impulses under which they are reviewed. 

The tests to which candidates are usually subjected in examina- 
tions, make known only their literary qualifications. Little is learned 
of one's aptness to teach, power to interest and secure attention, abil- 
ity to control, fruitfulness in expedients, skill in adapting instruction 
to ao-e and capacity of children, and force and impressiveness of illus- 
tration. But it is obvtous that these didactic exercises, in no incon- 
siderable degree, test the capacity of the candidate in all these. — 



APPENDIX. 191 

Hence the advantage which school committees and S'jpervisors may 
<3erive from an acquaintance with the members of these classes, and 
the progress which they have made in all the characteristics of the 
good teacher. 

It is equally obvious, that the Department will afford peculiar fa- 
cilities to those who aspire to good situations, and would be placed in, 
a position to make them?elves known. I am often applied to for 
suitable persons to fill all classes of vacancies, from the High School 
down to the Common District School. 

Hoping that this imperfect outline may in a measure answer your 
inquiries, 

I remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

SAMUEL S. GKEENE, 
Prof, of Didactics in Brown University, 



APPENDIX No. 1I„ 



EVENING SCHOOLS. 

LETTER FROM REV. E. M. STONE. 

Pkovidence, Feb. 11, 1852. 
Hon. Elisha R, Potter : — 

Dear Sir : — When I promised, at your request, to prepare an ar' 
tide on Evening Schools for your Annual Report, it was my inten- 
tion to have given to the subject the detailed consideration its impor- 
tance demands. From the fulfilment of this intention I am preclu- 
ded by an unusual press of duties, and at this eleventh hour can on- 
ly say a few words as an expression of my unabated interest in a 
class of institutions that must, from necessity, fill an important place 
in the educational movements of the day. 

In 1S49 I prepared, at the instance of your predecessor, Hon. 
Henry Barnard, an account of Public Evening Schools in this coun" 
try, embracing notices of all that were then know^nto be in operation. 
This account was published in his final report to the General As- 
sembly. Since then, similar schools have been established in New 
Orleans, Newburyport, (Mass.,) Portsmouth, (N. H.,) Portland^ 
(Me.,) and several other places : all of which have fulfilled the eX' 
pectations of their friends. 

Eighteen years have passed away since the first Public Evening 
Schools were opened in the United States, and theconviction of their 
utility has been gradually gaining strength in the public mind. The 
National Convention of the friends of education held in Philadelphia 
in 1849, and again in 1850, one of the most intelligent bodies that 
has been convoked in this country on any occasion, took up this sub* 
ject as one of commanding importance, and at the recommendation 
of a committee who, by Prof. Hart, their chairman, made an interest- 
ing report on the subject, adopted the following resolution : 

*' Eesolvid, That this Convention recommends to the earnest con-^ 



APPENDIX. 193' 

sideration of the community in the several States, the propriety of 
establishing generally, free Evening Schools for adults and for young 
pers-^ns who are not in attendance upon the day schools." 

From the report to which I have referred, I transcribe and enclose 
several paragraphs embracing statements worthy of profound consid-. 
eration. 

These statements confirm the opinion I have long entertained, that 
something should be done to meet wants that are not met by our day 
schools. In every manufacturing village are to be found many chil- 
dren and youth like those described in these extracts. There is also 
another class, a large portion of them foreigners. They are ignorant' 
often, of the simple rudiments of learning, and are precluded, by age, 
pride, or false shame, from entering a primary class in our public day 
schools. They form, to an extent, a distinct order, and if educated 
at all, must be approached in a way that does not arouse either of 
these hostile feelings. It is easier to form an evening school of fifty 
boys fourteen or fifteen years of age, who cannot read and write, than 
to induce five of that number to attend a day school. 

In a manufacturing State, like Rhode Island, having so many of 
this class amoug its population, these considerations bear with great 
force. Evening Schools should be established in every village for 
the benefit of its juvenile operatives, and of all others who need their 
advantages. It is not merely the dictate of philanthropy, but of en- 
lightened policy, to encourage in such the spirit of intellectual cul- 
ture, — never, indeed, losing sight of their moral and religious devel- 
opment. Intelligence is essential to the growth of the morals of the 
young, as it is to the improvement of their manners ; and to permit 
a generation to grow up among us without education sufficient to 
qualify them to transact ordinary business, or to give them correct 
ideas of our political institutions, is to violate a principle upon which 
their permanency rests. 

In conclusion, I have only time to add, that the efficiency of Eve- 
ning Schools may be greatly promoted by the appointment of an out- 
door assistant for each school, whose duty it shall be to collect schol- 
ars, visit their homes to ascertain the cause of every absence, and to 
gain the co-operation of parents and employers in securing a regular 
attendance. Very sincerely your friend, 

EDWIN M. STONE. 



194 APPENDIX. 



EXTRACT FROM REPORT ON EVENING SCHOOLS. 

BY PKOF. HART, OF PHILADELPHIA. 

While speaking of the large proportion of the population that now^ 
in many states and cities, attend public schools, we are apt to forget 
that not more than one-third of the whole number attending school 
ever advance beyond the Primary. The High School and the Gram- 
rear Schools are, indeed, open to all ; but all, unfortunately, have 
not the leisure to advance to those open doors. Idleness and va- 
grancy, no doubt, contribute to this result ; yet, for the most part, it 
is stern necessity, work — want of bread— that compels more than 
two-thirds of the children of the public schools, to complete their 
schooling in the Primary. Having barely learned to read and write, 
and perhaps knowing something of the first four rules of Arithmetic, 
they are taken by their parents to assist in the mill, the workshop or 
the factory, — or to become errand boys and news boys. Experience 
has shown that a large number of these boys, thus early withdrawn 
from school, would, at the age of ten to twelve, and even much later, 
be glad to avail themselves of any opportunity of pursuing their 
studies, that did not interfere with the daily pursuits by which their 
subsistence is procured. Wherever night schools have been opened 
a large number of such boys have been among the applicants for ad- 
mission. If there be any class of the community that more than 
others have a claim upon the public for special means of instruction, 
it is those who, through a grinding necessity, are unable to attend an 
ordinary day school, even though it be entirely free. 

There is another important aspect of this case. The attention of 
those engaged in the cause of education has been occupied so exclu- 
sively with the instruction of the young, that we had well nigh for- 
gotten the existence among us of an ignorant adult population. The 
number of illiterate adults will be yet further and largely increased by 
the constant tide of emigration from abroad. 

Some isolated and not uninteresting efforts have been made, 
heretofore, to introduce the number of ignorant adults by the es- 
tablishment of schools expressly for them. But it is not until very 
recently, that anything like a general effort, in this direction, has been 
attempted. 



APPENDIX. 195 

Within the last two or three years, in several of our large cities, 
as New York, Cincinnati, Providence, and Philadelphia, evening 
schools have been opened on a large scale, for the instruction, in part, 
of those beyond the proper age to attend the day schools. The special 
cause, which has led to this new impulse, has been the alarmino- in- 
crease, of late, of riotous and disorderly night assemblages in the 
streets of our cities. In nearly every city, there exist, at present, 
large gangs of disorderly young men, more or less organized, who 
nightly disturb the public peace. These young men, it has been found, 
in very many instances, were entirely unacquainted with the first rudi- 
ments of learning, unable to read and write, and thus shut out from 
the ordinary sources of improvement and of innocent recreation. It 
is believed that manyof these persons are, in the first instance, driven 
into street-prowling and other disorderly practices, by a mere physi- 
cal impulse — the love of action — and by force of the social principle. 
The case has been stated with great clearness by the Hon. Judge 
Kelly, of Philadelphia, in an address delivered before the House of 
Refuge, in December, 1849. 

"From whom, and what, is Philadelphia now suffering most ? — 
Not from the increasing frequency of the perpetration of crimes of 
the higher grades — these increase not in the ratio of the growth of 
our population; — nor from organized gangs of skilled and hardened 
felons, for, inefficient as our multiplex police departments are, our 
borders are now, as they have ever been, comparatively free from 
these pests of cities. Riot and tumult are the evils under which we 
groan. The wayward and restless youths who congregate at the 
street corners, hang about hose and engine houses, and throng the 
places of cheap and vulgar amusement in which the city abounds, 
are our terror at home and disgrace abroad. For these, if uncheck- 
ed we are all ready to predict a career of crime and punishment. — 
The project of establishing an armed police to hold them in subjec- 
tion, finds favor with many, and may yet be necessary. In Europe, 
such lads would constitute the strength of the government. Full of 
health and animal spirits, and pursuing novelty and adventure with 
the ardor of youth, they would be fascinated by the roving life of the 
soldier, and follow the recruiting sergeant. The standing armies of 
England, and the States of Europe, absorb enough of this class to 
overawe the remainder. Availing themselves of the impulses of 
yoiith, despotic governments discipline those who, with us, would 
be the "dangerous class," and rely upon them for the support of law 
and order ; and, if we fail to promote the peaceable and profitable 
action of these impulses, an armed police, the nucleus of a standing 
army, will be the consequence of our neglect. Pardon me for draw- 



196 APPENDIX. 

ing an illustration from your own homes. Nothing essential to com- 
fort is wanting there. Your extensive libraries add to the charms 
of family intercourse. The chiselled marble and glowing canvass 
grace your walls. And. at your bidding, music sends over your so- 
cial group her enlivening and purifying influence. Yet, despite these 
abundant means of domestic enjoyment, your growing children weary 
of home. You gladly gather their young friends around them in 
the evening party ; you welcome gratefully the card which invites 
them to an evening of merriment under the roof of a judicious 
friend : and you open to them the concert and the lecture room, and 
every other means of virtuous enjoyment offered l)y society. The 
love of novelty is natural to your children. By providing amuse- 
ments, which are harmless, if not profitable for them, you hope to 
retain their confidence and love, and save them from the allurements 
of folly and vice. Your conduct is prompted by your parental in- 
stincts, and sanctioned by your experience. And it would be well 
for society to follow your example. The children of the poor and ig- 
norant differ not essentially from yours. Their appetite for pleasure 
is as keen, they are not more sedate, nor has nature given them 
greater power of enduring trial or resisting temptation. 

Crime is not the inevitable consequence of ignorance, but they 
have close and important relations. And I believe the day is not far 
distant, when the commonwealth will be const^-ained, not only to of- 
fer a generous elementary education to all her children, but to treat 
the failure of a parant to secure its advantages to a child as a for- 
feiture of parental rights. I had occasion recently to request some 
information on this subject from the heads of our penal establish- 
ments, the Clerk of the Quarter Sessions of the County, and the gen- 
tlemen who have held the office of Prosecuting Attorney for Phila- 
delphia during the last five years. The replies were all concurrent ; 
and the information they furnished cannot fail to interest in this con- 
nection, though it was obtained for another and different purpose. 
The statistics of the Penitentiary, and the convict department of the 
County Prison, show that less than two per cent, of the whole num- 
ber of convicts are thoroughly educated. Of one hundred and forty- 
nine prisoners received into the Eastern Penitentiary from this city 
and county, between January 1st, 1845, and December 17, 1849, 
twenty-eight had received a tolerable elementary education ; twenty- 
three could neither read nor write ; twenty-five could 'read a little :" 
and seventy-three could read and write imperfectly.* During the 
years 1847 and 1848, three hundred and thirty-five prisoners were 
received into the convict department of the County Prison, of whom 
one hundred and twentv-six could neither read nor write ; ninety 
could "read a little ;" one hundred and sixteen could read and write 



♦Those marked in the above list as able to read and write are so registered upon 
their answers to questions at the time of their recepiion. It seldom amounts to 
more than bem^ able to read indifferently, nnd write very poorly ; not one in twenty 
being able to write a fair and connected letter. — Note from Thomas Scatlcrgood 
Warden. E. P. 



APPENDIX. 197 

imperfectly ;* and three were well educated. Of twenty-one persons 
under the conviction of riot in the County Prison, on the 1 9th of 
J)ecember, 1S49, eight could not read ; three could read, but not 
write ; seven could read and write, but knew nothing of arithmetic ; 
and three could read, write and cipher. No one of them had a good 
elementary education. Of two hundred and thirty-seven boys over 
thirteen years of age, received into the White Department of Kefuge, 
between January Jst, 1847 and December 17th, 1849, forty-two 
could read well : one liUndred and fifty three could "read a little ;" 
and forty-two could not read at all. The Clerk of the Se.-sions says 
that a large majority of the persons held to bail in the court for riot, 
and other offences involving a breach of the peace, are ''destitute of 
education, being unable to write their names to the bail-bond." 
Messrs. Wharton, Webster, and Heed, who have in turn prosecuted the 
pleas of the commonwealth in this county for five years, agrcee that, 
with few exceptions, this class of offenders are "almost utterly un- 
edu-^ated." Nor do these facts stand alone. No graduate of the 
Philadelphia High School is known to have been charged with the 
commission of a crime ; and, though I have made eflbrts to discover 
the fact, if it was so, 1 have not learned that a single person who has 
completed the excellent course of instruction given in our Grammar 
Schools, has ever been tried or arraigned in acriminal court. t 

Let me not be misunderstood. I am not maintaining that man is 
wholly the creature of circumstances ; or that instruction in reading 
wr ting, and arithmetic, in grammar, geography, and mathematics, 
will purify his nature or defend him against all the assaults of folly 
and sin. What 1 mean to say is, that comprehension of and facility 
in, these branches of learning, elementary as they are, open to him 
vast fields of profit, pleasure, and advancement, from which his igno- 
rant brethren are excluded ; and that the fact that a boy has passed 
years in the Grammar School, proves that his childhood was not home- 
less ; that he had friends to watch over him, to encourage and coun- 
sel him, to guard him from vicious associations, to stimulate his em- 
ulation, and gratify his appetite for refined and profitable pleasures. 
Did our parental and fraternal sympathies extend beyond our homes, 
we would oftener pity than condenm the turbulent youth of our 



*Orthcse not more than one-fourth can be said to do more than write their names. 
— first Annual Report of the Boaid of Inspectors. 

tFiir nearly two years'! was prosecuting attorney in this county, and from the 
period when I went into ofRce down to the present moment, comprising an interval 
of five years, I have paid much attention to the working of the criminal system. 
i<'rom lieing, during the whole of this period, a Director of the Public Schools, my 
consideration has n:iturally been employed on 'he question how lar put lie crime is 
aflectcd by public education : and at one time I compiled a tabul ir statement of my 
observations on this particular point. I need now only give you the result, which is 
that, whether in prison waiting-trial, or in prison after trial, charged with riot or 
turbul. nee, I have never known a single pupil of the High School. 1 can go fur ■ 
ther, ai d say that, in all the cases in which recognizances of bail were taken, and in 
which the defendant was produced for the purpose of writing his name, and in all 
cases which by any test the educational position of the de'cndant could be evolved, 
I never knew, with but one exception, of a pupil of the public schools, of a higher 
grade than the third division, concerned. — Note from Francis Wharton, Esq, 



198 appp:ndix. 

suburbs. Go with me to one of their homes ; not to that of the boy 
who never knew his parents, and has grown from infancy on the 
rough charities of the poor ; nor the son of the destitute widow, who, 
toiling wearily for food, clothes, and rent, reluctantly leaves her boy 
throughout the day to his own guidance, and the companionship af- 
forded by the alley in which they live ; nor the son of the inebriate, 
who labors by day only to purchase madness for the night. Such, 
though far from being exaggerated cases, do not illustrate the point 
under consideration so well as the apprentices of our well-conditioned 
mechanics. Many of these are worthy fanners' sons. The father's 
well-tilled farm will support the family ; but is too small to be again 
divided. The son must, therefore, carve out his own fortune. He 
is novv a well-grown boy, and, having enjoyed the example of his 
father's temperance and industry, the care and counsel of his fond 
mother, and such slender means of education as the wayside school 
affords, he turns his steps towards the city, as the field of widest and 
most varied enterprise. His object is the acquisition of a trade, by 
which he may gain an honest and independent livelihood. When 
his heart swells with recollections of home, he turns to the future and 
thinks of the happy time to come, when as a successful master-work- 
man, his ruof shall shelter, and his means maintain his aged parents. 
Finding employment, he enters on his apprenticeship. In his mas- 
ter he also finds a friend. Their contract, however, is a mere bar- 
gain, from which both parties expect advantage. The boy binds 
himsflf to give years of willing and obedient labor as the -considera- 
tion for food, clothing, and instruction in the art and mystery of the 
calling of his choice. The master — a kind-hearted man, and good 
mechanic — is cheered in the hope of making something more than a 
bare living for the little family with which God has blessed him. 
His home is in a respectable neighborhood. Embellished by few 
luxuries, it is well supplied with the means of substantial comfort. 
The snug parlor, darkened at other times, is opened to the family on 
Sunday, or when a few friends visit the master's thrifty helpmate. 
In the rear of the parlor is the little dining-room, warmed by the 
kitchen stove, around which the family gathers in the evening for 
the gossip of the day and neighborhood. In the attic is the boy's 
clean and well-made bed. 'I'he little room, though well finished, is 
without grate or fireplace. To warm it through the long evenings 
of the winter, when books or intercourse with young companions 
might engage him, would involve the master in the purchase of a 
stove, fuel, and lights ; a serious item of expenditure, which the cus- 
tom of the trade would not sanction, and the exigencies of the case 
do not require ; indeed, the boy does not expect it. He knows that 
ho enjoys more comforts than most of his class, and is grateful for 
them. He cannot, however, let his love of quiet and study be as 
keen as it may, confine himself in his cold chamber through the long 
winter evenings. True he is not denied — nay, he is sometimes 
welcomed — to a place in the "sitting room." He need not, how- 
ever, attempt to read there ; nor can he join as equal participant in 
the conversations. Feeling restraint from the presence of the heads 



APPENDIX. 199 

of the family, he soon discovers that he too is a restraint on them. 
His acquaintances in the city are few, and remembering the oft re- 
peated admonitions of his mother against evil company, he is indis- 
posed to increase their number ; but he goes forth to escape the 
irksomeness of home. And where does he go ? To visit friends in 
the bosom of a virtuous and intelligent family ? Alas, he is a stran- 
ger! He goes, however, where society in his wisdom and goodness 
invites him — to the street corner, the hose or engine house, the beer 
shop or the bar-room — and if he go not speedily thence, to worse 
places — But I need not follow him. Were he a son of yours, your 
fears would indicate the thousand dangers that surround him." 

The same point is presented with equal clearness and force in a 
pamphlet, understood to be from the pen of the Rt. Eev. Bishop Pot- 
ter, entitled " An Appeal to Philadelphians." 

" Idleness is ever an abounding source of evil and misconduct. — 
What, then, may not be anticipated from the idleness of boys and 
young men congregated in large numbers in the streets — full of reck- 
less courage and lust of adventure — subject to manifold occasions of 
excitement — banded together, perhaps, by vows of fellowship and mu- 
tual support — unawed by a united and efficient police — often shel- 
tered by darkness — and fired, it may be, by the remembrance of 
wrongs still unavenged. Yet it is to the street alone that many of 
these young men and boys can be expected to resort. After the eve- 
ning meal is finished, and until the hour for sleep arrives, the homes 
of many of them offer neither attraction nor restraint. If they have 
money, the cheap theatre, the bowling alley, the gaming house, the 
well warmed and well lighted tippling shop holds out its lure, and 
through that lure, multitudes of unsuspecting youths are yearly 
drawn down to the gates of the Destroyer. Money, however, is that 
which most of them want. Hence, in many instances, petty thefts 
to enable them to encompass the means of indulgence — hence, more 
frequently, street gatherings for the younger, and meetings in the 
hose house or engine house, for the elder. Hence, the bands that we 
often pass at the corners of streets, and the throngs that gather 
round the avenues to each place of vulgar amusement. Hence, fire- 
arms are raised, and too often fires are even kindled, that hostile com- 
panies may be brought into conflict, and the opportunity for tumultu- 
ous excitement enjoyed. The aggregate result is seen in a spirit of 
wide-spread misrule among the young, which, by its outbreaks has 
often brought disgrace on the community, sacrificed many valuable 
lives, destroyed a vast amount of property, turned capital and enter- 
prise from the city to locations less exposed to outrages and tumults, 
subjected multitudes to extreme terror, and olten to danger, and 
which, at this moment, may well fill the heart of every reflecting cit- 
izen with anxious foreboding." 

According to the reasonings and suggestions of these admirable 



200 APPENDIX. 

; 

addresses, the method of correcting (he alarming social CA'il under con- 
sideration, is to find useful and attractive evening occupation for the 
persons here described. The method which, thus far, has been found 
most efficient for this purpose, is the opening of evening schools. It 
is proposed also, in connection with these schools, to institute reading 
rooms and libraries in the several suburban districts, where these ap- 
prentices chiefly reside. Such schools and reading-rooms with their 
accompaniments of popular lectures and books, their pleasant accom- 
modations and social aspect, can hardly fail to exert a counteracting 
influence upon the present downward tendencies of society. 

'' Experience proves," says Bishop Potter, in the pamphlet just re- 
ferred to, "that a comfortable school-room, with instruction and su- 
pervision from intelligent, and conscientious persons, will, at once, 
draw large bodies of these lads and young men within their walls. — 
Experience demonstrates, too, that when once admitted, they become 
attached to their teachers, interested in their studies, and respectful 
to the authority of the school. 

" Experience shows yet further, that this amelioration in manner 
and deportment extends from the school-room to the street, the work- 
shop, and the home. Most gratifying facts have reached the Com- 
mittee in illustration of this last remark, and they are precisely such 
facts as might have been anticipated. Awaken in the young feelings 
of kindness and gratitude — inspire a sense of self-respect and desire 
for knowledge and improvement — teach, experimentally, the pleasure 
and advantage of sustaining order and authority in a small communi- 
ty like the school, and we have then, a strong pledge for their good 
behavior at all times, and in all places." 

Again, he remarks in regard to very many of both sexes, and of 
diiferent ages, whose improvement cannot be provided for in Even- 
ing Public Schools : — 

" They are either too much occupied or too mucii advanced in 
knowledge. They need however a comfortable and respectable re- 
treat, where they can pass a quiet hour in reading good books, or in 
listening to instructive and entertaining lectures. Others, who are 
younger or less advanced in knowledge, would be willing — if oppor- 
tunity were given — to enter upon studies higher than those pursued 
in the Public Grammar Schools. For these last, rooms might be 
provided, in which, under teachers employed by themselves, or by oth- 
ers acting in their behalf, they could prosecute such branches as 
might best comport with their interests or tastes. During one-half 
tlie year, also, Evening Schools are not likely to be kept; and it is 
much to be desired, that at such times there should be other places 
of resort, where the tastes and habits developed in the school room, 
can be charished rather than discouraged," 



APPENDIX. 201 

It would be premature, perhaps, from the limited experience as yet 
recorded, to draw any very general or absolute inference in regard to 
the final result of this agency. At the same time, the Committee 
feel authorized to say that, so far as they are apprised, nothing has 
yet occurred in the history of these efforts that may be considered of 
au untoward character ; on the contrary, very many facts have come 
to their knowledge, of the most cheering sort. They believe the 
friends of education, generally, should be encouraged to go on, and 
give the plan a thorough and effectual trial. In the city of New 
York, where it has been tried more thoroughly than elsewhere, those 
conversant with the subject, speak in terms of the highest confidence 
as to its entire ultimate success. 



APPENDIX No. III. 



IGNORANCE AND VICE IN CITIES AND TOWNS. 

BxTRACT FROM THE TwENTY-SeVENTH AnNUAL RePORT OF THE 

American Sunday School Union. 

There never has heen a time when the ills of society were more 
'thoroughly searched out, or more glaringly exhibited than now. The 
institution of what are called the " Ragged Schools " of London, and 
of the Industrial Schools of Aberdeen, Glasgow, Sec, has probably 
had some share in opening to the light of day the hitherto dark 
abodes of moral and social degradation in the more populous cities of 
Europe ; and however false may have been the theories or visionary 
the schemes of some reformers, but for them, much that we now 
know of the condition of large masses of our suffering fellow- creatures 
would have remained unknown. 

When the Christian philanthropist attempts to analyze these ills, 
he soon detects the relation which each sustains to the other, and by 
which all may be traced to a common otigin. In the application of 
his efforts, however, he must oftentimes select a point quite remote 
from the seat of the disease, at which to commence the remedial prcfr 
cess. The ills which press most heavily on the mass of men, are 
those which affect chiefly their outward condition. The want of the 
comforts of life provoke many very bad passions ; but the want of 
the food necessary to sustain life itself, goads the sufferer to despera- 
tion. To the privation of wholesome food at proper intervals, — of 
clothing suitable to the varying seasons, — of comfortable sleep,= — of 
the decencies of domestic life, — of steady and honest employment, — 
and of all intellectual apd moral cultivation, may be ascribed most of 
the disease, the degradation, the suffering and the depraved habits 
and courses of those whose social condition excites so much sympathy 
in our day. 



APPENDIX. 203 

The first wants to be relieved are those which are first and most 
generally felt. The hungry must be supplied with food, the naked 
with clothes, and the destitute and forsaken with a home and friends. 
To do this without encouraging or confirming idle and vicious habits, 
but, on the contrary, inspiring self-respect and self-exertion, is,one of 
the highest achievements of philanthropy. In the wise providence of 
God, the relief of these wants involves, to a great extent, the person- 
al efforts of the more favored classes. Alms houses, hospitals and 
asylums have their place, and a very important one, in the array of 
means ; but they supply none of the sympathy, and but an inconsid- 
erable portion of the relief which sufTering humanity demands. — 
The endless variety of wants and woes, their wide diffusion, and their 
minute ind"ividua]ity, suggest the idea that the provisions of mercy 
and sympathy, of which the more favored of our race are made the 
stewards, were, by this means, to be drawn out in corresponding va- 
riety, diffusiveness and individuality : — in other words, that every 
human being has something to contrive and to do for the good of 
some other human being. 

It is evidently no part of God's providential arrangements on this 
subject that a common fund should be established, to which the 
wealthy shall contribute, and from which the poor shall draw their 
supplies ; but each individual is constituted the Lord's almoner, and 
the nearer he comes to a personal knowledge of his beneficiary, and 
to a communion of thoughts and sympathies, the more effective is 
the charity, and the more permanent and happy its results to both 
parties. Perhaps, in the final vindication of the ways of God to man, 
it will appear that the darkest shades of human adversity w^ere in- 
tended, in part, to set in a more distinct and vivid light the power 
and grace of human sympathy. 

It is a remarkable feature of the ministry of the Founder of our 
religion, that the dispensation of truth was closely interwoven with 
the dispensation of mercy, — the promulgation of the gospel with the 
alleviation of suffering. Not only do " the poor have the gospel 
preached to them," but " the blind receive their sight, the lame walk 
and the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear and the dead are raised 
up.'' Beauty is given for ashes, and the garments of praise for the 
spirit of herviness. We are told that Jesus went about all the cities 
and villages of the Jews, not only teaching in their synagogues and 



204 APPENDIX. 

preaching the gospel of the kingdom, but " healing every sickness 
and every disease among the people." When he gave his immediate 
disciples authority to preach the gospel, he connected with it a com- 
mand to " heal the sick ;" and when those who had waited on his 
teaching were exhausted and hungry, he provided for their full sup- 
ply by an exertion of miraculous p9wer. 

That these interpositions of his mercy were made the occasion of 
the display of his miraculous power, and so evidences of his claim to 
faith and obedience, does not take at all from the force of the in- 
ference, — for he might have revealed the same divine power in a 
thousand forms unconnected with human suffering. A similar trait 
appears in the ministry of the apostles ; and no one can read the 
annals of modern missionary labor without noting the increased fa- 
cilities with which the gospel is introduced where it is preceded or 
accompanied by the relief of physical suffering. How far this 
happy union is preserved in modern arrangements for the promulga- 
tion of Christianity among ourselves is worthy of thoughtful consid- 
eration. 

It is very obvious that in order to connect religious inculcation of 
any kind with ministrations to physical wants or griefs, we must find 
some avenue (hat will lead us to the family group, however little 
resemblance such a group may bear to the true idea of that relation. 
We must make our way to the place, obscure and revolting as it may 
be, where the instincts, if not the affections, of the parental and filial 
relation exist, and in which any permanent reform of the social state, 
as well as any ejfficient remedies for physical and social suffering, 
must take their rise. It is no mercy to a youth to limit the hours of 
labor in the workshop and factory, if the time so rescued from the 
grasping hand of an avaricious employer is to be spent in the filthy 
and sickening garret or cellar, or in the haunts of the idle and 
vicious, or in the resorts of topers and vagabonds. We must improve 
his home before we can have much heart to turn the child towards 
jt. And what shall we do first towards this desirable end ? A 
true economy will lead us, (1.) To apply the simplest and most ef- 
fective remedy. (2.) To do it as early as practicable, and (3.) To 
apply it to the mischief that lies nearest to us. Without disparage 
ing other agencies that claim confidence in this behalf, we think the 
Sunday School has some peculiar claims to be regarded as the expo^ 
nent of such an economy. 



APPENDIX. 205 

It will be conceded, we presume, that the attempt to inculcate re- 
ligious truth upon adult minds that have been hitherto ignorant of it. 
is, to a great extent, fruitless. The obstacles to its action on those 
who stand most in need of it are numerous. Among them are, 1. — 
the absence of habits of reflection and meditation. 2. The customs 
which govern the places of resort for public worship and religious 
teaching. 3, The pressure of immediate and conscious wants. 4 
False or vague views of the offices and requirements of religion. In 
confirmation of this opinion, we may cite a passage from a series of 
papers on the condition of large classes of the population of London, 
which have excited more than ordinary interest. 

" It is estimated that the number of costermongers or street sellers 
attending the London 'green' aud fish markets, is about 30,000 men, 
women, and children. It is supposed that not three in one hundred 
of them were ever in the interior of a church or any place of worship, 
or knew what is meant by Christianity. Of all things, they hate 
tracts. They hate them, because the people leaving them never give 
them any thing, and, as they can't read the tract, (not one in forty,) 
they're vexed to be bothered with it. And really, what is the use of 
giving people reading before you've taught them to read ? They re- 
spect the city missionaries, because they read to them, and because 
they visit the sick, and sometimes give oranges and such like to them 
and the children. We have known a city missionary buy a shilling's 
worth of oranges of a coster, and give them away to the sick and the 
children, and that made him respected among them. If the costers 
had to profess themselves of some religion to-morrow, they would all 
become Roman Catholics, every one of them. The priest, the sisters 
of charity, &c., always come to the sick, &c. They reckon that re- 
ligion's best that gives the most in charity." 

And is it impossible to teach them that the charity is best which 
brings with it the hopes and consolations of religion, secures to them 
permanent sources of prosperity, happiness and peace, frees the soul 
from the shackles of superstition and sensualism, and opens up before 
it the way of eternal life ? Perhaps the experiment may fail with 
adults, but it will succeed to a great extent with the children ; and 
this presents the array of Infant schools, Sunday schools, and Indus- 
trial and Ragged schools in an interesting aspect. They confer the 
boon of education, and thus supply the means of self-support. The 
Christian teachers go into a family as helpers, as suppliers of wants 
as counsellors, as friends in adversity, as sympathizers with woes 
whidh press most severely upon soul and body. 

5 



206 APPENDIX. 

It. is among the children that vve find the fewest obstacles to the 
full play of good influences — and surely the motives to exert them 
are strong enough? If there is an object of real pity in the wide world, 
jt is a little child making its way unguarded and uncounselled up in- 
to the busy haunts of men, with skin as fair and delicate as a palace- 
child, yet all begrimmed with dirt — affections susceptible of the 
gentlest influences, yet all rudely stifled — a temper pliable, yet goad- 
ed into obstinacy and violence — a mind capable of exalted attain- 
ments assimilating it to its Creator, yet left to rust and perish in bru- 
tish ignorance. We have seen such children : they sometimes find 
place in our Infant and Sunday schools, and when well cared for, 
they are among the most precious tokens of the redeeming virtue of 
such institutions. 

Dr. Bell thus describes the progress of one such, " But alas," he 
says, " it is a history of a frightful class in the population of the 
towns, and half the inmates of the ragged schools of the old world." 

" The little creature has an expression that does not belong to in- 
fancy. It looks sad and careworn. If it survive, it early creeps out 
into the street, there to begin a life that will probably end where it 
began. It learns to speak — but what is the language ? It sees and 
hears — but what does it see and hear? The reader knows. Sucli is 
its infantine education — an education that is unmixed, untinged even 
by the words of a good vocabulary. It does not know the meaning 
o{ lie, because it has never been taught the meaning of truth; nay, 
it has been taught to lie, and truth has been sedulously concealed 
from its mind. Anon, it is instructed in the art of pilfering, and in 
the hellish rhetoric of the wynds. When he is four or five years of 
age, he attracts the attention of the policeman, who ' marks him as 
his own ;' and he appears before the magistrate — an experienced 
thief — at the mature age of six years. How much this urchin knows ! 
He knows all the obscene words, and all the oaths, simple and com- 
pound, which are the pith and marrow of the language in the wynds. 
He knows all the highways and byways — the outs and the ins — the 
nooks and the crannies of the city. He knows the value of things. 
He knows the most approved method of appropriating what belongs 
to another. He is acquainted with the 'wee pawn' broker; and he 
knows the dram-seller, for whose sake he is an outcast. We say 
■ that this boy as little deserves to be condemned for traversing the 
law, as the red-deer deserves to be slain for crossing the march upon 
the snow-clad hill, descending into the valley, and satisfying his ap- 
petite on the turnips of an upland farmer." 

Having thus found access to a group of neglected children, our first 
object is to subject them to the simplest and most effective process to 



APPENDIX. 207 

give a right direction to their hearts and minds. There can be but 
one opinion as to what this process is. Instruction in the sacred 
Scriptures must be the predominant element of it. If they do not 
know how to read, they must be taught; and if they do, they must 
be persuaded to make a wise use of the attainment. If their secular 
time is absorbed in necessary labor, the more we must make of Sun- 
day. The whole array of moral means which the church and the 
friends of public virtue and good order can bring to bear on them 
must be drawn into service. 

It is not an easy matter to persuade the father and mother, (and 
still less easy to persuade one against the will of the other,) to attend 
a place of religious instruction; but the children are glad of the op- 
portunity. A thousand motives influence them to which their pa- 
rents are strangers. The excitement of preparation, the change of 
scene, the association with numbers, the ceremony of being enrolled , 
and classed, &c., all have their place and weight. No deficiency or 
inferiority of apparel or personal consideration, no regard to tlie 
speech of the world, no taunts or jeers are sufiicient to restrain them 
from embracing the opportunity. And it may be safe to say that in 
the absence of positive prohibition, or needless embarrassment inter- 
posed by parents, ninety-nine in a hundred of all the children in the 
land, of proper age to attend Sunday school would desire to avail 
themselves of an offer to do so. So that if we assume that commo- 
dious places of assembling Sunday schools were provided in all suit- 
able localities, and properly furnished with teachers and appurtenan- 
ces, there would be no difficulty in gathering together for Sunday 
school instruction ninety-nine hundredths of the children and youth 
now living in the United States between the ages of six and sixteen 
years. 

The alternative presented to us at this stage, is to take them /ro?/i 
home or to leave them untaught. There is no provision now made 
nor does any provision seem practicable by M'hich the proper influ- 
ence can be exerted upon hundreds of thousands of them at their 
dwellings. They must, therefore, be withdrawn for a little season, 
at stated times, in order that their hearts and minds and hands may 
be supplied, if possible, with something that they can take back with 



208 APPENDIX, 

them for the good of the household.* A right principle in the heart, 
a simple hymn in the memory, or a pleasant little book in the hand, 
may be as a light to shine in a dark place. Thus we gently and ef- 
fectually introduce the gospel, unmixed with human philosophy and 
speculation, into the homes of the people ; and is not this substan- 
tially the true remedy for social evils, introduced at the right time 
and place, and operating upon the right class of persons? 

"We submit that it is only by this minute subdivision of Christian 
energy and self-denial, which brings a single individual of somewhat 
elevated moral and intellectual character into personal communion 
with another single individual of an inferior grade, that the general 
radical renovation of society can be brought about ; and when this 
personal intimate communion can be made to bear on the mass of 



♦In a former report, we mentioned an enterprise of much promise, undertaken iij; 
New York, and known as the " Boys' Meeting." We make the following extract 
from the latest account we have seen of its success : 

After the lapse of more than two years, the managers (of whom there are four, be- 
side the gentlemen wlio officiate as speaker and chorister,) feel that it may interest 
some to know, that the meeting is still continued, and, as they think, with increas- 
ing usefulness. While they do not claim for the plan any rare excelltJnce, believing 
that the Sunday school would be a still better place of instruction for the children 
and youth now under their care, they cannot but feel that they are engaged in an 
important work. They are happy therefore, in being able to state, thnt three simi- 
lar'meetings have been e&tablished in other parts of the city, — one of which is under 
the care of a gentleman who is employed to devote his whole time to that partic- 
ular field. 

In regard to the children who attend this, the original Boys' Meeting, it may be 
said, that die greater portion of them belong to the very class for whom it was in- 
stituted ; and, though but a few of them are either ragged or filthy, they have not 
failed to develope phases of depravity, and exhibit a want of religious instruction, 
sufficient to sadden the heart, and call forearnesteflbrts in their behalf. Some of the 
attendants are Sunday school scholars, who insist on coming, notwithstanding they 
have been asked to stay away. These aside, it has been clearly demonstrated here, 
that there is a very large number of children and youth, all over the city, the ofT- 
spring of respectable parents, whose destitute condition demands the prayers, alms, 
and labors ol the Christian community. It is a mistaken notion that our vicious 
children are always clothed in rags. 

As to results, it may be remarked, that while the managers have not the happiness 
to record the conversion of any of those under their care, they have been permitted 
to witness a marked and growing interest on the part of many, while the deport- 
ment of ail, during the past twenty months, has been such as to secure almost per- 
fect order during the exercises. Some boys have been regular attendants from the 
very first day the meeting was opened. 

It is thought that the labors of the two individuals whose duty it is to visit the 
neighboring docks and streets for the purpose of collecting hearers at the room, are 
of essential service, [t is their custom to distribute papers, tracts, &c., among 
young rntn and others who cannot be induced to attend the meeting, while they 
are often permitted to say a word in season to some who never enter the sanc- 
tuary. 

The whole amount of money expended since July, 1848, is a little less than three 
hundred dollars. The principal items of expenditure have been for rent, furnishing 
the hall with matting, and for children's newspapers, &c. &c. 



APPENDIX. 209 

children and youth, not otherwise similarly influenced, the advan- 
tage is inconceivably great. 

If it is conceded — as we think it must be by the must superficial 
■observer — that the well-being of a community is greatly dependent 
■on the moral and physical condition of what have been significantly 
called the " foundation classes," it cannot be a question of subordi- 
nate consequence, what shall make their condition in both respects 
eligible ? For ourselves, we do not entertain a doubt that indiffer- 
ence to the inslitutions and ordinances of religion — an habitual dis- 
regard of and dissatisfaction with the dealings of God's providence — 
and (in a multitude of instances) a settled and shameless unbelief in 
the dispensations of his grace, if not in his existence, — lie at the bot- 
tom of the gravest of the social evils which are so rife in the cities of 
Europe, and are becoming too familiar among ourselves to excite 
surprise or alarm. In this view, nothing can be more preposterous 
than to employ any remedy for them of which Christianity, in its 
purest and simplest principles, is not a predominant element. 

In the more elevated and prosperous classes of the community, in- 
fidelity may co-exist with an external regard to the proprieties and 
refinements of life. A thousand motives may be suggested for a con- 
cealment of such discreditable views. But it is far otherwise among 
those who are embarrassed by no snch restraints, and who feel the 
power of no such motives. They speak out, to each other and to all 
the world, with an emphasis which sliould by right belong exclusive- 
ly to truth, and lay themselves open to every influence that will con- 
firm and strengthen them in their false position. 

We cannot present this painful view of the social condition of large 
classes of people in our chief cities in more appropriate language than 
has been used in describing a like class in the English metropolis ; 
and it should always be remembered that what we lack in our native 
popular composition of the ingredients of ignorance, selfishness, and 
an unblushing contempt for authority, human and divine, is likely to 
be more than made up to us in the influx of foreign stock. 

" Very few of the working people of London," says a late writer, 
" give attention even to the outward ordinances of religion. There 
is scarcely a church or chapel in the metropolis that contains more 
than a mere sprinkling of them at Sabbath worship ; and although 



210 APPENDIX. 

the lowest and degraded classes are sunk in a carnal and stupid indif- 
ference, yet this cannot be said of the class above them. 

''What, then, are the opinions of these people respecting the doc- 
trines of Christianity ? Are they opposed to them, or favorable ? — 
Or are they in sentiment as in practice, resting in a cold, vague 
neutrality ? We know that the latter conclusion is a common, but 
sadly mistaken one. Can it for a moment be reasonably supposed 
that, in these days of social and intellectual upheavings and univer- 
sal excitement, the land flooded with literary publications of the most 
arousing character, and of every form and tendency, with social ar- 
rangements so eminently productive of mental activity, inquiry and 
decision — can it be supposed that, under such a state of things, the 
immense working population of this country — shrewd, intelligent, 
and conclusive upon every other question — have no definite opinions 
whatever upon the subject of religious truth ? We may safely an- 
swer this question by referring to the nature of the most powerful 
influences that are at work in forming their opinions. They are not 
religious. For them the influences of the pulpit are powerless, for 
they scarcely ever reach them ; and the Christianchurch has supplied 
no substitutionary means at all adequate to the work. She has 
trained and educated missionaries, and thus qualified ^em for for- 
eign labor, but to the missionaries and laborers among our heathen 
population at home, she gives no such training. She provides no 
Home Missionary Colleges where evangelists may he specially trained 
by men experimentally acquainted with their wants and circum- 
stances. And not only so, but there is scarcely any literature pro- 
vided of a suitable character. The mental appetite is quickened — 
it must be fed ; but the Christian church is not feeding it. We are 
ashamed to state it, but the rarest publication we can find is a religi- 
ous tract or periodical suited to the mental characteristics of the irre- 
ligious poor ! To the truth of this, every intelligent City Missionary 
or tract distributor will testify. Our monthly magazines would be 
less v/elcome, did they contain one long, dry religious essay, partly 
expressed in a language and style we could scarcely understand. — 
But such is generally the character of the monthly tracts written for 
the religious edification of the poor. Can we wonder, therefore, if 
they are seldom read? or that an instrumentality so feeble and in- 
eflicient in all its departments, should prove inoperative on our adult 
working population ? 

" We believe, and we speak from experience, that the infidel Sun- 
day newspapers and kindred periodicals, are exerting a more power- 
ful influence upon the adult working population of London, than is 
being exerted upon the same class of people by all denominations of 
evangelical Christians put together. They find a welcome entrance, 
from cellar to garret, in every lane and alley in the metropolis. — 
Their pages form the chief Sabbath reading of the poor, and are 
greedily perused, while the insipid tract is lying unopened upon the 
shelf, ready for the polite " call" of the district visitor. Even with 
the elder children, one of these newspapers is a favorite, and the on- 



APPENDIX. 211 

ly one that some of our ragged emigrants have written to their pa- 
rents to send them, 

" Unlike the majority of modern Christians, each convert to infi- 
delity bezomes a missionary. In the workshop or manufactory, their 
opinions are industriously promulgated, and the sacred truths of the 
gospel derided and denied. The effects of this we have seen even in 
the Ragged Schools : workshop boys, coming with the determination 
of converting the whole class to their opinions — putting questions and 
uttering sophistical statements, which the teacher found some diffi- 
culty in refuting, 

" Among the conflicts which truth has yet to wage with the king- 
dom of darkness, and which every convulsive movement is hastening 
onward, we believe that the contest with infidelity will be neither 
the slightest nor the shortest." 



APPENDIX No. IV. 



SCHOOL AND OTHER LIBRARIES. 

The following table exhibits the number of volumes in the 
School Libraries, as nearly as can be ascertained : 



North Providence, 



Smithfield, 



Cumberland, - 
Burrillville, 

Glocester, - - 

Foster, - - - 

Scituate, - - 

Cranston, - - 

Johnston, - - 
East Greenwich, 



West Greenwich, 
Coventry, - - - 

Warwick, - - ■ 



South Kingstowuj 



North Kingstown, 



No. Vols. 

Allendale, . . - 
Smith's Hill, 
No. 1, - - - 
No. 2, 

Lonsdale, - - - ' *900 

Slatersville, - - *750 

Globe, - - ^ *350 

Hamlet, - - *275 

Bernon, - - - *200 
Manton Library at Cumberland Hill, 375 

Manton Library at Pascoag, - ' 808 

Chepachet, - - *750 

Manton Library at Hemlock, - 1200 
Aborn Library at North Scituate, 450 

Smithville Seminary, - - 5t)0 

No. 8, - - - *400 
None. 

Old Library - -. 100 

Methodist Seminary, - - 980 

Episcopal Parish Library, 100 
None. 

Washington Village, - 402 

Bowen's Hill, - - 405 

Old Warwick, - - 475 
Ladies' Library at Old Warwick, 250 

Phenix. - - - 720 
Kingston. 
D. Rodman's. 
Peacedale. 
None. 



APPENDIX. 



213 



Westerly, 

Brand's Iron Works. 

Carolina Mills. 

Fisherville, 

One in three divisions, 

North End, 

South End, - 

Globe Factory, 
Two Libraries, 



No. Vols. 

2000 
*800 



Westerly, - - 
Hopkinton, ) 
Richmond, ) 
Richmond, 
Exeter, - - 
Charlestown, - 
Portsmouth, - 

Middletown, - 
Tiverton, - - 
Little Compton, 
New Shoreham, 
Jamestown, 
Bristol, - - - 
AVarren - - 

Barrington, 

The following is believed to be the number of volumes in 
the College and other Libraiies. 



Lyceum, 

Female Seminary. 

Barrington, 



675 

706 
425 

650 
*300 

160 
1108 
MOO 
*500 

147 

850 

550 



Providence, 



Newport, 



Providence, 



25,000 
7000 
1500 

16,600 
*4000 
*1!00 
*8000 



*2500 

*3300 
*800 



- College, (bound volumes,) 
College Societies, 
Friends' School, 
Atheneum, - . . 

- Redwood, founded 1747, 
Mechanics', founded 1828, 
Hammond's, founded 1820, 
Richardson's. 

- Historical Society, 
State Library. 

Mechanics . - - . 
Franklin, ... 

Those marked thus, • are estimates. 

In addition to the above, there are many parish libraries, of 
which we can obtain no account. And the number of volumes 
in the various Sunday School libraries, principally of juvenile 
books, is very large. 

There are still many places in the State, where village or 
school libraries should be established, as will be seen from an 
inspection of the foregoing table. 

These libraries have generally been formed upon the plan 
of loaning out the books for a small weekly charge to subscri- 
bers and non-subscribers alike. This is beiieved to be the wis- 
est arrangement. 

The friends of education should not be disappointed if the 



214 APPENDIX. 

books should not be as much read a few years hence as now, 
while newly established. Still they should be maintained. — 
The youth who are growing up in our public schools, who feel 
a desire forjimprovement, should have the opportunities within 
their reach. And if even but one solitary scholar should have 
ambition or curiosity enough to lead him to use the library, 
slill it should be preserved.* 



♦Those who wish to see a full historical account of our large libraries should con- 
sult the account by Prof, Jewett in the Fourth Annual Report of the Smithsonian 
Institution. Also see Journal of R. I. Institute, by Mr. Barnard, vol. 3, page 428. — 
We have endeavored to correct some inaccuracies in their statements as to 
numbers. 



APPENDIX No. V. 



OUTLmE OP THE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION IN RHODE ISLAND. 

The following outline is published as an answer to numerous en- 
quiries relating to our system. 

Population. — The population of the State is 147,549. Out of 
this, the city of Providence and the compact towns of Newport, Bris- 
tol and Warren, contain 58,795. And when to this is added the 
population of Woonsocket, East Greenwich, Wickford, Pawcatuck, 
Pawtucket, Pawtuxet, and the numerous manufacturing and other 
villages, it will be seen that by far the greater part of the population 
is in cities and villages. 

The State is divided into five counties and thirty-one townships. 
In Providence, Newport, Bristol and Warren, the schools of the 
whole town are managed by Committees. The other twenty-seven 
townships are divided into schools districts, which are corporate 
bodies for school purposes. 

School Officers. — Every city and town chooses annually a 
School Committee of not less than three persons, and they may ap- 
point or authorise the committee to appoint a superintendent. The 
city of Providence and several of the towns employ superintendents. 

In the four towns named, the Committees have the whole man- 
agement of the schools. In other towns, they have the general su- 



216 APPENDIX. 

pervision, make regulations, define district boundaries, examine 
teachers, visit tlie schools, receive and make returns, and pay the 
bills by orders on the treasury. 

In the twenty-seven districted towns, each district chooses annual- 
ly one or three trustees, a clerk, treasurer, collector, &c. The duty 
of the trustee is to employ the teacher, have the custody of the dis- 
trict property, to visit the school, &c. 

The supervision of the State is exercised by means of a Commis- 
sioner of Public Schools, annually appointed by the Governor and 
Senate, and to whom an appeal may be taken from all doings of 
committees, trustees, and other school officers. There is « Board of 
Education. The duties and powers of these school officers may be 
seen more particularly by referring to the several heads in the Index 
to the School Law. 

County Inspectors may be appointed by the Commissioner, who 
are authorised to examine teachers and to give certificates, which are 
valid in all the towns in their county. They have no compensation. 

Compensation. — The Committees and Trustees, penerally, receive 
no compensation for services. Superintendents of towns are paid by 
the towns. The Commissioner's salary is paid from the State treas- 
ury. 

SciinoL Fund. — The State has a permanent fund invested in 
Bank Stock of $51,300. 

When the State received its pcrtion of the U. S. Surplus Reve- 
nue, it was also invested, and the annual income appropriated to 
Schools. 

Support of Schools. — From the interest of the School Fund, 
the U. S. Surplus Revenue, and other sources, the State appropri- 
ates S25,000, and from the proceeds of a direct tax $10,000— mak- 
ing in all $35,000 annually. This is apportioned among the town- 
ships in proportion to the population under 15. But in order to re- 
ceive its portion, each town must raise at least one-third of its por- 
tion of the $25,000. Most of the towns raise a great deal more than 
the amount required. 



APPENDIX. 217 

In the twenty- seven districted towns the money is apportioned aa 
follows : The money from the State is divided into two parts — one 
part is divided equally among the districts, as corporations. The 
other part is divided according to the average attendance in the dis- 
tricts the previous year. Tiie money raised by the towns is divided 
by such rules as the towns or committees prescribe, generally equal- 
ly. There is also a registry tax on voters, and the money received 
from this source is applied to support schools in the town where it 
is received. 

The school districts can also raise money by direct property tax 
to support schools, or can make an assessment on scholars who are 
able to pay. In the greater part of the districts the deficiency of the 
public money is supplied by assessments. 

Union Districts. — Ample provision is made by the law for the 
gradation of schools, and to encourage country districts to unite for 
the sake of supporting a higher school. 

School Houses. — In the four towns named, and also in one other, 
school houses are erected by the whole town for all the districts. In 
the other towns, each district, as a corporate body, manages its own 
affjiirs, chooses officers, lays taxes to build and repair houses, support 
schools, &c. Locations and plans of houses, and the amount of 
taxes, must be approved by the committees of the towns. 

Teachers. — Committees can examine and give certificates for 
their towns, county Inspectors for their counties, and the Commis- 
sioner for the State. No teacher can be employed without a certifi- 
cate. 

Institutes. — Institutes are held at such places and times as the 
Commissioner decides. The expense is paid out of the State treas- 
ury. • 

Length of Schools. — In the compact places and villages in which 
so very large a portion of our population is concentrated, they are 
continued through the year. Each district is required to keep a 
school for four months, in order to receive its school money. The 



218 APPENDIX. 

country districts generally keep a school from six to eight months, 
part in the winter and part in the summer. 

Academies and Colleges. — These receive no aid from the State. 
There are several academies and high schools, some of which are in- 
corporated. Brown University, at Providence, is an institution of 
long established reputation. 

Deaf and Duivtb, &c. — The State makes provision for the support 
and education of the indigent deaf and dumb, blind and idiots. The 
deaf and dumb have generally been sent to the Hartford Institution, 
and the blind and idiots to South Boston. Provision is also made 
by the State and towns for the support of the insane poor at the 
Butler Hospital for the Insane, at Providence. 

Libraries. — Towns or districts may raise money by tax for a 
School Library. And individuals may incorporate themselves by a 
provision in the School Law for this purpose. Under this provision 
a large number of associations have been formed. See the appendix 
No. 4 to this report. 



RHODE ISLAND 

EDUCATIONAL MAGAZINE; 

VOL. IL PROVIDENCE, JAN'RY AND FEB'RY, 1653. NOS. 1 & 2. 

REPORT 

OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 



To the Honorable General Assembly of the State of Rhode 
Island and Providence Plantations. 

January Session, A. D. 1853. 

The Commissioner of Public Schools presents the annual 
report required of him by law. 

The accompanying abstracts of the returns from the seve- 
ral towns will inform the Legislature in regard to the appor- 
tionment and expenditure of the public money, and the statis- 
tics of the schools 

The returns for the last year were more exact and full than 
those of the previous year ; and it is hoped that the returns 
for the present year will be complete. It is gratifying to per- 
ceive that a large number of the towns are increasing their 
appropriations for schools, and it will be for the wisdom of the 
Legislature to determine whether the time has not arrived, or 
will not soon arrive, when public opinion and the condition of 
the treasury will justify and sustain an increase of our State 
appropriation. 



2 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

Many of the School Committees last year availed them- 
selves of the privilege given them by the revised law of print- 
ing their town reports. The money cannot be applied to a 
better pm-pose, or in a way to do more good. By printing and 
distributing to every family an account of the condition of 
the schools of the town, the general interest in the subject is 
kept alive and increased, errors are exposed and improve- 
ments suggested. 

DEAF AND DUMB. 

The following are the names of the persons who have re- 
ceived the benefit of the appropriation from its commence- 
ment : — 

Age 
whenadm. Entered. Left. 

Fanny Lanphear, Hopkinton, 26, May, 1S45, May, 1846. 

Abigal Slocum, Portsmouth, 25, May, 1S45, Mav, 1847. 

Peleg Slocum, Portsmouth, 20, May, 1S45, May, 1847. 

Mary E. Slocum, Portsmouth, 14, May, 1845, May, 1847. 

James Budlong, Warwick, 20, Aug, 1845, May, 1847. 

Charles H. Steere, Glocester, 15, May, 1846, May, 1850. 

PhebeA Winsor, Johnston, 8, May, 1846, " 1852. 

John W. Davenport, Tiverton, 13, May, 1847. 

Samuel W. Thompson, Glocester, 11, May, 1847. 

Mercy E. Tanner, Coventry, 10, May, 1847, 1852. 

Minerva Mowry, Smithfield, 13, May, 1848, May, 1851. 

SaiBuel G. Greene, Hopkinton, 11, July, 1849, Aug, 1851. 

George Gavit, Westerly, 10, May, 1850. 

Wm. E. Slocum, Cumberland, Sept, 1852. 

Agnes Mc'Laughlin North Prov. iSept, 1852. 

Mary E. Wilber, Little Compt. Sept. 1852. 
The orders for their support this year have been — 

June 21, 1852, 8250 00 

Jan. 24, 1S53, S66 67 

The beneficiaries of this State have been sent to the 
" American Asylum at Hartford, for the Education and In- 
struction of the Deaf and Dumb." The time for admission 
ot pupils is the third Wednesday of September in every year. 
The charge is $100 per annum. In case of sickness, extra 
charges are made. Persons applying for admission must be 
between the ages of eight and twenty-five years ; must be of 
good natural intellect, capable of forming and joining letters 



SCHOOL COM^IISSIONER'S REPORT. 3 

with a pen legibly and correctly ; free from immoralities of 
conduct and from contagious disease. The charge for board 
includes washing, fuel, lights, stationery and tuition. No de- 
ductions are made for absence, except on account of sickness. 

THE BLIND. 

The following persons have received the benefit of our State 
appropriation for the blind : — 

Entered. Left. 

William Hatch, Bristol, January, 1845 

Oliver Caswell, Jamestown, January, 1845. January, 1851, 

Elizabeth Eddy, Warren, January, 1845, January, 1848. 

Charles Coddington, Newport, March, 1846, 

Maria Dunham, Newport, March, 1846, 

Marcia Thurber, Providence, June, 1846, June, 1847. 

Alexander Kenyon, S. Kinj^stown, October, 1847. 

Wm. Tallowfield, Providence, Nov. 1849, Nov, 1850. 

James H. Graham, Newport, May, 1850. 

Elizabeth Dennely, S. Kingstown, October 1851. 

Lucy Ross, N, Prov, Dec, 1852, 

The orders for their support this year have been — 

May 24, 1852, S250 00 

January 24, 1853, S650 00 

The beneficiaries of this State have been sent to the Per- 
kins Listitution and Massachusetts Asylum for the Blind, at 
Boston. The charge at that Institution is ^160 per annum, 
which covers board, washing, medicine, use of books, musi- 
cal instruments, and all expenses except clothing and travel- 
ing expenses. Pupils must be under fifteen when admitted, 
and of good character ; free from epilepsy or any contagious 
disease ; and the friends of the applicant are required to an- 
swer certain queries respecting his age, and the cause and de- 
gree of his blindness, and to furnish an obligation that when 
discharged he shall be removed without expense to the Insti- 
tution. If possible, pupils should be taught the letters before 
going to the Institution. Books in raised letters for the blind 
can be procured there. 

IDIOTS AND IMBECILES. 

Four persons only, have yet received the benefit of any por- 
tion of the State appropriation for Idiots and Imbeciles; of 



4 SCHOOL COMMISSIONEK'S REPORT. 

these, two are at the Massachusets School for idiotic and feeble 

minded youth, (corner of First and K streets, South Boston.) 

one at the Barre School, and one under the care of Mr. J. B. 

Richards, at Philadelphia. 

The orders for their support have been — 

March, 1852, $100 GO 

April, 1852, $100 00 

Sept. 1852, $100 00 

Jan. 24, 1853, $100 00 

For admission to the Massachusetts School, it is recom- 
mended that they be between the ages of six and twelve ; not 
epileptic, insane or incurably hydrocephalic or paralytic. The 
parents are required to provide clothing and to give surety 
that the pupil shall be removed without expense to the Ihsti- 
tution when discharged. Pupils are first taken for one month 
on trial. The terms at this Institution for beneficiaries, for 
board and tuition, are generally $150 per annum, but vary 
somewhat, according to the condition of the pupil. 

EDUCATIONAL MAGAZINE. 

Having for a long time felt the want of some periodical 
publication as a means of circulating information among 
school officers and teachers, the subscriber last year undertook 
the publication of one. His predecessor had maintained such 
a publication and had found great advantage in so doing. 

Knownig that no such publication could be supported by 
subscribers, and that if it was sent to subscribers only, it 
would never reach those persons and those portions of the 
State where it would be most needed, it was determined at 
the beginning to send the Educational Magazine gratis to the 
Chairmen and Clerks of School Committees, and to the Clerk 
of every School District, and to rely upon contributions prin- 
cipally, for its support. About one-third of the amount neces- 
sary to pay the expenses has been so raised, and other indi- 
viduals have expressed willingness to contribute a portion of 
the remainder. 

By means of such a magazine, all information can be speedi- 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. g 

iy circulated. School documents, changes m the law, deci- 
sions on the construction of the law, information of education- 
al and teacher's meetings and their proceedings, can be made 
public and brought to the knowledge of those most inter- 
ested. 

The subscriber has cheerfully borne the trouble of editing 
and managing the Magazine, and a portion of the pecuniary 
risk, for the sake of the benefit to be derived from it. 

NORMAL SCHOOL. 

The last autumn a Normal School was established in the 
city of Providence, by Messrs. Greene, Russell, Colburn and 
Guyot. The term commenced on the first of November, 
and the school will close about the first of April. 

Instruction is here given in the modes of teaching, and by 
the ablest practical Teachers. The gentlemen concerned are 
all distinguished and well known in their several departments. 
Prof. Greene as a grammarian, Mr. Russell as an elocutionist, 
Mr. Colburn as a mathematician, and Prof Guyot in geogra- 
phy. 

The school will be opened again the next fall and winter. 

The success so far has equalled the expectations of its best 
friends. A large number of teachers have been in constant at- 
tendance from the commencement. 

f have no hesitation in saying that this institution establish- 
ed under private auspices, is more likely to succeed, more likely 
to do good and to realize the proper idea of a Normal School, 
than any institution established under corporate or State pa- 
tronage, with permanent officers and fixed salaries, could possi- 
bly do. The tendency of the latter is continually to de- 
generate. 

The present institution on its present basis, may well be 
commended to the benevolence of the public. It may need 
aid and should receive it. It well deserves it. 



Q SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

OF TEACHER'S MEETINGS AND IMPROVING THE 
aUALIFICATIONS' OF TEACHERS. 

During the past year as in previous years, meetings have 
been held in different parts of the State, for the gratuitous in- 
struction of those Teachers who attended. These meetings 
are generally denominated " Teacher's Institutes, " and con- 
tinue for one week. Lectures are delivered upon the various 
modes of teaching in the different branches of education, 
discussions are held upon different topics, in which the lectur- 
ers and teachers take part, and addresses are delivered to the 
parents and others who are assembled together, frequently in 
large numbers, by the interest they excite. The last of these 
meetings was held at Central Falls, and is considered to have 
been one of the most interesting and useful ever held in this 
State. 

Meetings of this sort are common in the New England and 
Nothern States. The credit of having originated them is due to 
our former Commissioner of Public Schools, who when Su- 
perintendent of Common Schools in Connecticut, organized a 
meeting for this purpose in the autumn of 1839, and similar 
meetings were held in that State under his care in the year 
1840. 

Of the utility of these meetmgs, it is believed that the pub- 
lic mind is by this time fully satisfied. They are necessary to 
produce an ambition and to afford opportunities for individu- 
al and mutual improvement, and to create and preserve an es- 
prit du corps, without which improvement would be almost 
impossible. 

Other professions and trades have long ago realized the im- 
portance of such meetings. Our clergy of the different de- 
nominations have their regular associations for intercommu- 
nication. The men of science in Europe and America have 
for many years held their annual meetings for the ad- 
vancement of science. Our medical men hold their regular 
meetings in the several States, and have lately formed a na- 
tional association. The mechanical trades have also their 



SCHOOL COMmSSIONER'S REPORT. 7 

periodical gatherings; indeed, association and incorporation 
were among the first causes of the elevation of the trades in 
the social scale. The friends of the various plans of benevo- 
lence and reform find these a most important aid to the suc- 
cess of their enterprises. 

Taka the case of a physician in a country village. He 
has received perhaps what was thought at the time a com- 
plete education for his profession. He retires to his coun- 
try practice. From want of use, much of his acquired- 
knowledge soon fades from his memory. New discove- 
ries in science are making, of which he never hears ; new 
diseases appear and new modes of ministermg to old dis- 
eases are found out. Hence the almost necessity to him 
of keeping up an acquaintance with the periodical litera- 
ture of his profession and of frequent meetings with his fellows, 
if he would keep his mind active and well informed, render 
himself useful to his fellow men, or even if he regards mere- 
ly the respectability of his standmg in his profession. 

So with the teacher. In the school, while learning, he has 
associates to cheer him in his progress. But when he begins 
to teach, he is thrown almost entirely upon his own resources. 
If he unfortunately commences in the neighborhood where he 
was born and brought up and is well known, he is looked upon 
by many with jealousy, as setting himself up to be a littla bet- 
ter and know a little more than the rest of us. " Is not this 
Joseph's son ?" If he goes among strangers, he has to en- 
dure the distrust of many, is looked upon by the children as 
their coming tyrant, by older boys as one with whom they 
are to have a struggle for physical superiority, and from none 
does he meet with any charitable allowance for his errors or 
inexperience. 

In most professions a certain amount of learning is expect- 
ed, which can be obtained by application and toil. In ordi- 
nary employments, honesty, industry and strict attention to 
business are all that the public expect, and will generally en- 
sure a competent support. 



8 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

Not SO with the teacher. Consider for a moment how great 
our expectations are in regard to the quaUfications of a good 
teacher, and we shall probably be surprised, not that a few fall 
short, but that so many come up to them. 

We expect of him a degree of learning in different branches 
which can only be acquired by close application, which pro- 
bably injures his health and secludes him from knowledge of 
his fellow-men. And then we expect of him a knowledge of 
human nature, of the feelings and passions of men, women 
and children, which can only be acquired by a constant and 
long experience and association with them, which would give 
little time to study. And we expect of him, also, a phy- 
sical constitution to endure continual mental labor and ever 
recurring perplexities, more wearing than any manual labor. 

Of a teacher in higher departments?, a professor in a college 
for example, we only expect knowledge, and an ability to 
communicate it. He has little trouble with governing, and he 
has a strong outward authority to support him. But of the 
teacher of a common school we expect knowledge, an ability 
to communicate it, (a science of itself) health to endure any 
and all things, a knowledge of the passions to enable him to 
govern without corporal punishment, or if corporal punish- 
ment is used, we expect of him a coolness and discretion to 
govern himself in the most exciting circumstances, to know 
just how far to go in punishing, so as not to overstep the limit 
of the law, a reasonable degree of punishment. We expect 
him to be doctor enough to look out for the physical health of 
his pupils — enough of a minister to look out for their morals; 
and all this we expect, not from young men and young wo- 
men, but from boys and girls from sixteen to twenty years of 
age. 

Well then may our surprise be, not that a few fail, but that 
so many succeed. And the lesson I would draw from these 
considerations is — not that we should not endeavor to obtain 
all these qualifications in the teachers we employ, — not that 
teachers should not aim at excellence in all these respects ; but 
a lesson of forbearance and charity for their short comings 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 9 

The teacher who devotes himself to his profession from pro- 
per motives and with proper zeal, is entitled to our most charit- 
able construction of his motives and his acting — none more so. 
And these considerations lead us also, to see the utility of 
associations and frequent meeting together, to teachers. The 
art of communicating knowledge does not necessarily accom- 
pany the possession of it. The Teacher who has obtained 
his education finds that he has a new art to learn. And even 
if he has studied theories and teaching in books or normal 
schools, he finds difficulties in the practice. And the art of 
government too he has to learn. He carries his difficulties 
with him to the meetings of his fellow teachers. He there re- 
ceives instructions from those who are his seniors in years and , 
experience, he consults with his fellows, discusses modes of 
teaching and government, and what he sees and hears v/hich 
is applicable to his own difficulties, makes a permanent im- 
pression on him. No knowledge is so valuable as that de- 
rived from our own experience. And next to that is the in- 
struction which we receive from the accumulated experience 
of others, which happens to meet and explain the difficulties 
we presently feel, which satisfies some present want of the 
mind.- How often do we read a book — ably written it may be — 
which makes no impression on us and is soon forgotten. Let 
us read the same book at another time, when its instructions 
meet something in our recent experience, when its sentiments 
seem, to chime in with the tendency of our own thoughts, and 
it makes an impression on us never to be forgotten. We read 
a history and we forget it. But let us become interested in 
some recent event from reading or conversation, and the desire 
to trace the chain of causes which have led to it, makes every 
thing that relates to it interesting. We may study a theory 
of teaching, and may perhaps have a little amateur practice 
with it. but there is no instruction so valuable as that which 
we receive after we have met with difficulties ourselves; it be- 
comes incorporated into our very modes of thought and ac- 
tion, a part of our very life. And here is the great value of 



IQ SCHOOL COMMISSIOKER'S EEPORT. 

the instruction teachers receive or may receive at these meet- 
ings — it meets difficulties they have actually felt and of which 
they want a solution. 

But there is another and perhaps greater benefit resulting 
from these meetings. The teacher necessarily pursues his 
vocation at a distance from his fellow teachers, and often 
meets with but little sympathy. People-, generally, but imper- 
fectly understand the perplexities of his occupation. He must 
plod along in his course, relying only on his own energy and 
endurance. He is very apt, too, to become despondent, exag- 
gerating his own troubles and imagining that the like never 
happened to any one before. He meets here with friends who 
are engaged in the same business, who have experienced the 
same troubles, and who can sympathize with hmi in his labors. 
He no longer feels alone in the world. He begins to realize 
too, that he belongs to a profession, one of the most honorable 
and influential in society, and that the honor and respectabil- 
ity of this profession depend in some measure updn his own 
conduct as a member of it, and to the motives which before 
sustained him in the discharge of his duty are now added 
others, the desire not to dishonor his profession and the desire 
of acquiring a respectable standing in it. 

In regard to the mode of conducting these meetings and the 
plan of the lectures and studies to be attended to at them, it 
has been customary very much to confine the range of sub- 
jects to those actually taught in the schools. Discussions 
upon subjects of school government or of teaching have very 
profitably occupied a portion of the time, as it is in these 
chiefly that the teachers present can bring out the results of 
their own experience, and can suggest for solution the difficul- 
ties they themselves have met with or anticipate. Addresses 
to the teachers and the parents present upon various points of 
duty connected with education, have also formed a part of the 
general plan. 

It has been customary, as just observed, to confine the lec- 
tures and instruction very much to the subjects actually 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. H 

taught in the schools, not in the higher schools but in the 
common and ordinary schools. Reading and writing, gram- 
mar and arithmetic are fundamental branches, and no one 
would think of neglecting them, and in reading and grammar 
our schools and our teachers themselves certainly need im- 
provement. In some schools a retrograde movement in these 
branches would be impossible. 

But while these fundamental branches should not be neg- 
lected, the propriety of devoting the time exclusively to them, 
may well be questioned. 

The teachers have arriv^ed at an age when a more general 
acquaintance with the various branches of literature and 
science may be of great advantage to them. This general 
acquaintance serves to enlarge and liberalize tlifcir minds and 
to give them grander ideas of destiny and of duty. True, a 
great deal of this knowledge must necessarily be superficial, 
but not consequently useless. Few can be proficients in as- 
tronomy, but who would theiefore shut his eyes to the sight 
of the stars, and close his mind to the exciting thoughts and 
glorious imaginings they give rise to ! But the acquantance 
with various sciences, aids and elevates not merely by en- 
larging the mind and increasing its general power, but the 
different sciences are so related and connected and dependent 
uponeach other, that each one helps us in attaining others, and 
the further we advance in our education the more we shall 
be convinced of this truth. 

So that even if the teachers are not to teach all these 
branches, they are themselves benefitted, and indirectly their 
scholars receive the benefit of it. It is a great error to sup- 
pose that a teacher need know only the one or two branches 
which he is called to teach, and that if he is just ahead of his 
scholars in those branches it is sufficient. If I were address- 
ing an audience in some country district, on no point would I 
labor to convince them more than on this. Our children are 
all small, they say, and such a one, whom we can get very 
cheap, can teach them what they need to know, as well as a 



12 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

more learned teacher. I will do them the justice to say that I 
believe the employment of poor teachers in country districts 
does not always proceed from the mean motive of stinting 
money from their children's schooling, but because they 
really believe that the poor teacher is good enough for chil- 
dren as small and no farther advanced than theirs. One 
of the greatest of errors. No degree of learning or experi- 
ence or acquaintance with the human mind, should be 
deemed too great for those who are to be employed to lay 
the foundations of knowledge in the young, a work which 
if badly done it may require the work of succeeding years 
to undo. 

I have said that to make a -good teacher requnes a great 
deal of discretion, and it certainly requires some discretion 
for a teacher to make the best use of what he hears and 
sees at teachers' meetings or institutes. It may be profita- 
ble to him at his age to learn a variety of things which 
yet he should not undertake to teach in all cases, and to 
scholars of all ages; and he will hear from diifei:ent teach- 
ers and even from the class instructors many plans of 
teaching which he should be very cautious about adopting. 
What .may have proved successful in the case of another 
school may not suit the circumstances of his school. Hence 
while he should hear all sides, discuss with all, receiv'^e hints 
and suggestions from all, he should adopt only such new 
modes as his own judgment tells him are suited to himself 
and his own peculiar circumstances. 

But perhaps the greatest danger of the times to which the 
teacher is exposed is the tendency, and which may in some 
cases be encouraged by these institutes, to undertake to teach 
too much and too fast. This has been called a railroad age. 
Impatience is fast becoming, if it has not already become, the 
characteristic of the public mind. Before railroads were 
made, folks in the country jogged along with their old chaises 
and horses, and thought they were getting along very fast if 
they went six miles an hour. Now, none but a few very old 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT, 13 

fashioned people are content with such progress. This ten- 
dency of the age has been most ingeniously caricatured by 
Hawthorne in his "Celestial Railroad." He imagines a rail- 
road to heaven. Formerly, in the good old times, the Chris- 
tian in his Pilgrim's Progress, travelled on foot with his staff" 
in his hand and his heavy load of sins on his back, over hills 
and through valleys and sloughs, to the foot of the cross. Now, 
by the new invention, all obstructions are levelled, the travel- 
ler journeys pleasantly in a car, his heavy burden ticketed 
and safely stowed away in a baggage room. When, just at 
the end of his journey he awakes, and finds it all a dream. 

(iuintilian, who lived near the Christian era, censured the 
practice of undertaking to teach the young too fast, and com- 
pared it to undertaking to pour very fast into a narrow-necked 
bottle — a simile very often used since. One of the ancient 
princes who wished to learn geometry without any labor or 
study, was told by his preceptor that there was no royal road 
to geometry. Many in modern times seem to think that if 
there is no royal road, they have at least discovered a repub- 
lican road to learning. 

We are too apt to forget that one of the great objects in edu- 
cation is the discipline of the mind : that it is of more conse- 
quence to give the mind a degree of power which it shall be 
able to apply to any future study when needed, than it is to 
store it with any conceivable amount of learning. And the 
competition of schools, and the competition of teachers, and the 
desire of displaying the acquirements of scholars, all lead to 
increasing the number of studies in the schools, and to teach- 
ing on the railroad plan. Hard studies, calculated to 
strengthen and discipline the mind, are discountenanced and 
become unpopular. Scholars are shown how to avoid diffi- 
culties instead of being made to conquer them. We try to 
make knowledge easy by omitting every thing that is hard, 
instead of making it easy by making the mind strong to at- 
tack it.* 

*A. De Morgan. 



14 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

COLLEGES AND THEIR PROPER PLACE IN AN 
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. 

Even our Colleges have become infected with the prevail- 
ing epidemic. Attempting to supply the wants not only of 
general education but of professional, and in some cases ele- 
mentary also, they have gone on increasing the number of 
their studies until no more can well be added. As the num- 
ber of Colleges increases, the competition becomes severe, and 
each seeks to gain popularity and students by lowering the 
standard of education, and by giving way to the prejudices 
against classical and disciplinary studies. Instead of wonder, 
ing that there are so few students at our one hundred and 
twenty Colleges, we should rather wonder that there are so 
many. Our's is a young and growing country ; we have as 
3^et comparatively but little accumulated capital to support 
higher institutions of learning; the avenues to wealth are 
open to all, and the temptations are to a life of activity and 
enterprise, instead of study. And a great many of our high 
schools do now give as good an education, and are just as 
much entitled to be called colleges, as many that go by that 
name. 

To the plan of allowing students who go to College, and 
who cannot spare the time or the money for a full course, the 
privilege of choosing the studies they think most useful to 
them, there can be but one serious objection, and that is that 
at the age at which young men, or rather boys go to College 
in this country, they are generally very poor judges of what 
is most useful to them. But this is nothing new. It is the 
plan of the European Universities, where the students are 
men, fit to choose for themselves. It is the plan of many, 
and of some of the oldest Universities in this country ; Vir- 
ginia, Cambridge and Yale. 

These partial cou^s have generally failed in this country 
after the first novelty^ the flush of popularity was over, and 
for this reason, that for those who cannot afford a thorough ed- 
ucation, our High Schools and Academies afford already a 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 15 

good practical training, full as good indeed, as many called 
colleges. And those who can afford the time and expense 
for a thorough education will always prefer the old course. 
The men who have become renowned in the world, have 
been mostly educated under the old system, and every ju- 
dicious parent v/ill want his son to have all the advantages 
of it. 

But it is said the public do not support our Colleges, and 
this shows that they ought to be modified and brought down 
to suit the demands of the age. If a man makes a piece of 
cloth which he cannot sell, he must make something else or 
fail. True, but to apply this principle of supply and demand to 
morals and education is certainly something new. Ithas always 
been supposed that the benevolent and philanthropic v/ere 
doing good and deserved credit, when they exerted them- 
selves to elevate the standard of morals and of education ; 
when they, being in advance of their age, endeavored to raise 
others up to their own level. What if those who have so 
generally expended their wealth in founding Universities of 
the old world and the new, had waited until there was a de- 
mand for high education, instead of endeavoring to create a 
demand for it ? Would Jesus Christ ever have come, if he 
had waited until the world demanded his mission ? 

That our Colleges in the race for popularity and for stu- 
dents, have yielded too much to what they consider the de- 
mands of the age, instead of keeping their standard high 
and trying to raise the people to it, seems too evident. In- 
stead of the old and disciplinary studies, the tendency is to 
substitute anything and everything which happens to be 
popular for the day, which happens to get the popular name 
of practical, because the people can see its immediate use, 
and forgetting that to give the mind a power and energy ca- 
pable of being applied to any purpose, is to be practical in 
the highest degree. 
A great deal of prejudice has been excited against the old 



IQ SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

system, because fools come out of College ; as if Colleges 
could give men brains. 

Look at the effect of the opposite systems in Europe, in 
England and in Germany,* 

In the English Universities very little effort is made to go 
over a great variety of books or studies, but those who attain 
the University honors, must at least be thorough in what is 
required. And this system has made the statesmen who have 
directed the destinies of England^ and often influenced and 
decided those of the world. It has had no little influence in 
forming the character of the most practical of the nations of 
the earth. 

In Germany, on the contrary, not only education is univer- 
sal, but a high degree of learning is common. Her Universi- 
ties are truly seats of learning. And learning — the amount 
of learning — is the object of the scholar's ambition. England 
is practical. Germany, universally learned Germany, is theo- 
retic and visionary and cannot preserve her political liberty 
even when she has it in her own grasp. 

That the difference in the character of the people is entire- 
ly owing to the difference in their systems of education, I do 
not say. That it is in some measure owing to it, there can be 
little doubt. 

The question of the relation between Schools and Collages 
has been for some time agitated, and in many places a great 
deal of jealousy has been manifested by the friends of one 
towards the other. This should not be. There should be 
and there need be no contrariety of interests between the 
two. Let us do all in our power to advance the public 
schools, and let us do all in our power to raise the stand- 
ard of education in the colleges. Let the friends of com- 
mon schools discountenance and repel that levelling spirit 
which seeks to produce an equality not by raising up but by 
pulling down. If the accounts we have of European educa- 

*NoTE. This is noticed by Laing, one of the most intelligent of modem trav- 
ellers. 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. I7 

tion are correct, a large number of our Colleges would be lit- 
tle better than high schools or academies there. One would 
suppose they needed elevation instead of depression. 

I would say to teachers in common schools, indulge no 
prejudices against higher schools or colleges. If you find 
among your scholars any intelligent and fond of study, urge 
them to complete their education, to go to some College — to 
some College worthy of the name. So as common schools 
prosper, our Colleges will prosper also. And if our Colleges 
and their graduates do their duty their influence may be a 
blessing to our common schools. 

I have said this much in favor of the old and disciplinary 
system, not because I wish to go to either extreme, but be- 
cause the tendency appears to be at present both in Schools 
and Colleges to look more to the number of studies and 
cramming the memory with facts than to the strengthening 
the faculties of the mind. 

As friends of education, we should put forth our united 
efforts to raise the standard of education every where, in the 
College and in the Common School, in the city, in the vil- 
lage and in the country. There is very little fear of any over 
education in the true sense of the word. 

OBJECTIONS TO EDUCATION CONSIDERED. 

We hear many who are opposed to education, express 
their fears that we are doing too much, that we are educa- 
ting the people too highly, that we shall make them discon- 
tented with their situation, and above their business. It were 
perhaps a sufficient answer to this, that do as much as we 
can, there is little probability in our life time of being able 
to give to the great mass of the people more than the mere 
elements of education, a little instruction in the fundamen- 
tal branches, reading, writing and arithmetic- This is all 
which the circumstances of most will allow them to obtain. 
But this is no reason why the opportunity should not be of- 
2 



23 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S EEPORT. 

fered freely to all, and why they should not be encouraged 
to educate themselves to the extent of their ability. 

But how far is it true that education does make people 
discontented ? If even a little education excites an ambition 
to improve, if it excites an ambition to improve one's self 
without envy or jealousy towards others, this certainly can- 
not be objected to. 

Discontent will always exist as long as human nature re- 
mains as it is. But ignorance especially is discontented. 
The ignorant man meets with misfortunes and poverty. He 
knows not who to attribute his misfortunes to, how far they 
are unavoidable, how far they are the result of circumstances 
he can control, or how far they are the results of inviolable 
laws of Providence to which he should have conformed. 
He therefore thinks it all luck, and he envies those who are 
luckier than himself. 

Knowledge, says Michelet, " does not make its 
malignant and envious, by what it communicates, but by 
what it holds back. He who is ignorant of the complicated 
media by which wealth is created, must naturally conclude 
that it is not created, that it does not grow, but changes 
hands only ; and that man cannot become rich save by de- 
spoiling his fellows. Every acquisition will seem to him a 
robbery, and he will hate all who have accumulated." (Peo- 
ple, 63.) 

Again the ignorant, rich as well as poor, attribute all their 
misfortunes to government : and this leads to the desire on 
the one side and on the other to have government constant- 
ly interfering with the business and concerns of the citizen, 
and produces the very evils which it dreads. 

Bat it is very common to hear an old fashioned person 
say that he can't see why his children can't do as he did, 
and that he has got along without much learning. Perhaps 
the best answer to such a one is to convince him that the 




SCHOOL COMMISSIONEE'S REPORT. j^g 

times have changed, that nations and states and cities and 
towns, and his neighbors all around him, are educating, and 
that if he does not wish his children to be hewers of wood 
and drawers of water for the rest of the world, he must edu- 
cate, too. 

Throughout the civilized world intelligence takes the lead 
of brute force. Says Sit^Hondi, "Thought is the great hu- 
man power ; education and study enable us to join to our 
own experience and reflection the experience and reflection 
of all the human race. A man remaining uncultivated and 
knowing only what he has thought, what he has observed 
himself, opposed to him who is enriched by the thoughts and 
experience of ages, is like a poor individual who would con- 
tend with his own weak arm against the combined power of 
a multitude. The man also who by the obligation of man- 
ual labor must have condemned his faculties to almost con- 
stant idleness, opposed to him who by constant exercise has 
given to his mind rapidity, certainty and precision, has not 
the same means of making the most of his individual power 
of thought; whilst his adversary knows how to employ for 
his greatest advantage the treasure of thought of all those 
who have lived before him." 

Again, it is easy to see that in the present age the question 
is not, whether a child shall be educated at all, but how. 
In old times, before the days of turnpikes and steamboats 
and railroads, it might be possible for a person to grow up 
and live and die in brute ignorance of all around him. Such 
a thing as happy, contented ignorance was possible. But it 
is so no longer. We are all subjected to powerful influences 
which often control our course and shape the character. Per- 
liaps even in those who have the greatest advantages, this edu- 
cation of outward circumstances does more than instruction 
towards forming the character. The conversation and man- 
ners of our early associates, the desire to imitate those who 
have a reputation or standing in our neighborhood, our early 



20 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

employments and our business relations, are all parts of our 
education and frequently of preponderating influence. Then 
in a free country, there is the information we derive from 
the proceedings of our district and town and other public 
meetings, our courts and juries, our various and intense po- 
litical agitations, and the all-pervading influence of the press. 
The influence of the Bible and of the religious and metaphy- 
sical discussion growing out of the questions connected with 
it, not only on the morals but on the intellect of a people, 
can hardly be overrated. All these influences, some for good 
and some for evil, are in modern times brought to bear upon 
every member of society. 

The School is therefore but a small part of the young 
man's education. It is in fact merely the means to future 
education, giving him the instruments wherewith to educate 
himself, and giving us also an opportunity to instill into his 
mind correct principles to guide him in his future course. 

But even in this view it is all-important. Every thing 
depends upon the influences under which the child starts in 
life. If you do not subject him to good influences, he will 
almost inevitably be subjected to bad. The stable school, 
the store school, the street school, and the wharf school,* 
will be always open to him, free of charge, and in them even 
dullness will be sure to learn. 

There is no danger that too many will be educated. Our 
whole vast country is open to us as a theatre for the employ- 
ment of our energies. New England has ahvays furnished 
and as long as their systems of education are inferior and as 
uneducated foreign emigrants multiply, will conthuie to fur- 
nish a large portion of the professional and literary men of 
the other States. It seems to be the mission of New Eng- 
land, Why should not Rhode Island do its part towards 

*Thc subject of a most interesting lecture before one of our Teachers' Institute?; 
by Rev. Thomas H. Vail, of Westerh'. 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 21 

furnishing the educated men of the new States ? At present 
we do not furnish even our own. 

Even within our own borders for some years a great 
change has been going on. Our hard labor in our cities, 
wharves, workshops, and even on our farms, is beginning to 
be done by uneducated foreigners. Yanlcee intelligence and 
enterprise find more profitable employment. Headwork 
seems to be the yankee's peculiar business. This change 
has been slowly going on for years. It is only a part how- 
ever of the ordinary course of Divine Providence by which 
intelligence goes ahead of ignorance. This emigration 
should lead us to be doubly earnest in the work of educa- 
tion. We cannot prevent it if we would. For two hun- 
dred years this country has been the refuge of the oppressed 
of all nations. It will continue to be so. We would not 
selfishly close it against them, but with a broad and com- 
prehensive charity we would educate and qualify them for 
the part they have to perform in our future history. Their 
descendants are to be our fellow citizens, perhaps our judges 
and rulers. Our own safety, the prosperity of our country, 
the purity of our government, depend upon the education of 
all, rich and poor, native and foreigner. 

OF THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF A PUB- 
LIC EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. 

But if education be important, as we all hold it to be in a 
republican government, we should be cautious not to ad- 
vocate it upon principles or promote it in a manner incon- 
sistent with iheg^fundamental ideas upon vv^hich republican- 
ism is based. 

What then is our idea of republicanism or of democracy, 
for we commonly use these terms as meaning the same thing, 
although they do not strictly. A republic or commonwealth 
is not necessarily a democracy. By a democracy we mean 
a State where the body of the people themselves exercise 



22 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

the powers of government directly and without the medium 
of representation, as in some of the states of antiquity. This 
is not practicable in any large or extensive country. 

The great security for the preservation of the liberties of 
a people is — not in the power being nominally in the people, 
which is of very little consequence if they neglect the exer- 
cise of it, nor in the people's occasionally exercising the 
power of electing their despots — but in the fact that the peo- 
ple do actually and practically take part in the manage- 
ment of affairs themselves. 

The perfection of government would be, undoubtedly, 
se// government — a state where every man should be a law 
unto himself — should govern himself and conform to the 
right without being compelled by outward force. This how- 
ever we do not expect to attain to. 

But if we cannot attain to perfection, we have at least a 
choice of systems. It should be our anxious desire, as we 
value freedom, to bring the management of State affairs 
home to every man, to localise government^ so to speak — to 
endeavor to have every man interested in and sharing in 
the disposal of the affairs of his neighborhood, and as far as 
possible the concerns of the State also. This is practically 
done in our system by our subdivisions into counties, towns 
and school districts, and in some States into parishes. Eve- 
ry man thus is brought to be acquainted more or less with 
public affairs. They are the schools of our liberty, with- 
out which other schools would be of little value. 

We are so familiar with these things here — we are so used 
to managing our own affairs, that we do not sufficiently value 
the privilege. To make a fair estimate of its value, we 
need only look at the condition of other countries. Take 
France for instance ; why have so many revolutions in 
France always ended in despotism? France has been for 
ages a centralized government — that is, the people in the dif- 
ferent portions of the country have had little or no share in 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPOET. 23 

the? government. All the officers have been appointed and 
everything ordered from the city of Paris. Not a road or 
bridge could be repaired, or the smallest local improvement 
made, without being authorized by those in power at Paris. 
The people contracted a habit of looking to the govern- 
ment at Paris for everything, of depending upon the central 
government for everything, and of not relying upon their 
own resources or on their own judgment for any thing. 
They lost — rather never had any knowledge of governing 
themselves. Paris became France. When a revolution 
came, they all looked to Paris for their new masters, never 
thinking or dreaming that they had anything to do but to 
obey, and caring very little whom they obeyed. 

From the state of France we may also learn another fact 
— that equality of condition is no security for the liberties 
of a people. There is probably no country where the great 
mass of the people approach so near to each other in equali- 
ty of condition as to property, and they are all equal before 
the law. Yet they are not free. 

As an example of a different state of things, consider Eng- 
land, England is not a free country as compared with ours, 
but she is free as compared with the other countries of Eu- 
rope. And we have little hesitation in sayii'ig that a con- 
siderable portion of the liberty they enjoy is owing to their 
having always preserved their local municipal institutions. 

Our ancestors or many of them emigrated from England 
here at a period when the highest notions of liberty and in- 
dividual independence prevailed there. Even if they had 
had no training in the practice of local government at home, 
the necessity of their situation forced them to govern them- 
selves. Wealth and luxury did not exist to corrupt them, 
and so they learned and practiced the art of self government 
under influences best adapted to a healthy development. 

We have in our country carried the principle of local self 



24 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S EEPORT. 

government farther than is done in any country of modern 
times, farther perhaps than it was ever carried in any coun- 
try of considerable extent. In the first place, we are a nation 
of confederated States, each in its own sphere sovereign. 
Then we are again subdivided into counties, towns, parishes 
and districts, each managing its own local affairs. Here 
every man learns to take an interest in the public welfare. 
I have said they are the schools of liberty. Better lose all 
other schools than these. 

It is a matter of course that when one of these little com- 
munities meets to talk over its affairs, there will be conflict of 
opinion. Some are ignorant, some are prejudiced, some are 
attached to old notions and averse to innovation. There 
will be continued agitation, and sometimes a change of 
course without reason. The system is not perfect, merely 
because man is not perfect. 

But manage their affairs as they will, with all their faults, 
it is far better, taking all things into consideration, and not 
looking merely to the success of the one object which we 
may wish to succeed, it is far better that their affairs should 
be managed by themselves, even if occasionally managed 
badly, than to have them managed with more wisdom by a 
superior power which should save them the trouble of gov- 
erning themselves. 

We should regard this principle of local self government 
as essential to the preservation of our liberties. We should 
guard watchfully against any encroachments on it. And 
this is the more necessary because the danger is not entirely 
from without. We are apt ourselves, when worried and fret- 
ted, when political affairs do not go as we like, to give up all 
interest in them, to throw them off upon any one who will 
take the trouble. This self government is a very trouble- 
some thing. We see this every where. We want to save 
the trouble of thinking in religious matters, and so we take 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 25 

a pattern to think by. So in politics we follow our leaders, 
if they will only do the thinking for us, and once in a while 
contrive to give us a chance to rejoice in a victory. Some 
get earnest in the pursuit of wealth, and some love their 
comfort and ease, and thus the whole control of things gets 
into the hands of a few who are active and will spend the 
time necessary for it. It is an old proverb that Power is 
always stealing from the many to the few. 

Just so far as we depute to another, to one or more, the 
management of local affairs, which could be managed by the 
people of the neighborhood, just so far we are introducing 
the principle of centralization which tends to despotism. 

We are very apt to think that there is no despotism unless 
there is a person called an Emperor or King at the head of 
it. Read history — we need not do that even — study the 
present state of the world, and we shall see that despotism 
may exist under very various names and appearances. Its 
first advances will always be specious and imposing. 

I come now to the present application I intend to make of 
these principles. 

We have many zealous friends of education, who being 
themselves much in advance of their fellow citizens, are very 
impatient that all others do not come up to their mark — are 
not ready to go ahead as fast as themselves. 

Now in all great movements some portion of the people 
will be behind the rest. Some towns in the State and 
some districts in some towns are very backward and neglect 
education. This has led some to propose to do away with 
districts entirely. The same thing has, I believe, been pro- 
posed in Massachusetts. 

Perhaps in this way things would be better managed. 
Perhaps the people would get better schools ; perhaps not. 

But this it seems to me is not the only question. It is 
taking a very one sided view of the case. 



2Q SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

By having some one to provide these things for us. we 
should in time lose the power of managing a system our- 
selves. We should soon cease to take an interest in that 
which was provided for us by a superior power, without any 
effort of our own. 

I am well aware that these views are not calculated to be 
popular among the ardent friends of education at the present 
day. The feeling in favor of using the power of a majority 
to compel the minority, is strong and probably gaining 
ground. 

When speaking of education, I have said that impatience 
is the characteristic of the present age. We are in haste to 
teach in one year what used to require several. We wish 
to educate and reform the world at once, God has patient- 
ly waited two thousand years, and but a small part of the 
world is yet Christian. Weak mortals are dissatisfied if 
they cannot immediately bring everybody into their way of 
thinking. And (as it has been quaintly said) there are some 
who if they had been alive at the creation, would have found 
fault with the Almighty for taking six days to create the 
world when he might have done it in one. 

The only compulsion I should like to see used, would be 
that which should oblige every man to take part in district 
meetings, and in the management of other public affairs, 
and which would punish the neglect of them as a failure of 
duty to the public. But even this degree of compulsion 
perhaps would be inconsistent with the principles here advo- 
cated. 

It results from these considerations that a central bureau, 
if established, should be for advice, conciliation and uniform- 
ity, and not for compulsion ; and in general, that we should 
endeavor to excite people to do for themselves, and not to 
do for them what they may better do themselves. 

A thorough and searching examination of the asserted 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. ^27 

grounds of the right and duty of the State to interfere in 
the education of the people, of the proper place of an edu- 
cational system in the frame of government, and of the logi- 
cal consistency of these grounds with other principles of 
government, political economy and religion, is yet to be 
made. It would furnish employment for the mind of a 
statesman and for the ablest pen. 

Public schools are more economical than private schools : 
a greater number can be educated at less expense. Yet this 
evidently furnishes no justification for the State in establish- 
ing such a system, unless it is assumed that the State has a 
right to interfere in, and direct all the economical concerns 
of the citizen. 

A public educational system, by educating greater num- 
bers, tends to make labor more productive and to increase the 
wealth of the community; but this does not seem to be a 
sufficient ground for its establishment. 

Public schools may tend to support a free government : 
not necessarily, however : for in many parts of Eiu'opa ele- 
mentary instruction is given as freely and as well as in' this 
country, and yet is made to serve to strengthen the founda- 
tions of the parental — that is, of the despotic form of gov- 
ernment. 

That education does not always prevent superstition, 
credulity and fanaticism, the world furnishes evidence 
enough at the present day. 

The prevention of crime seems to furnish a strong argu- 
ment in favor of public education ; yet even this has been 
called in question by able writers. 

If we once assume that it is the duty of the State as the 
common parent to educate all the children of the State, it 
would seem to follow that the State should treat all its chil- 
dren alike, should furnish to the child in the country the 
same education which the child in the city receives ; and 



28 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

that the thinly settled agricultural townships of Exeter and 
West Greenwich should be supplied by the State with as 
able teachers as are employed in the cities and villages. 

OF PRAYER AND RELIGIOUS EXERCISES IN 
PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND THE CONNECTION OF 
THESE SCHOOLS WITH RELIGION. 

The teacher in one of the districts in the town of Cum- 
berland, being in the habit of praying in his school, and pa- 
rents sending children to the school having objected to his 
prayers, the School Committee of the town instructed the 
teacher to desist until the decision of the Commissioner of 
Public Schools could be had on the case. 

The Commissioner would gladly have avoided deciding 
the case, not from any hesitation as to the course which 
ought to be pursued, but because it would have been desir- 
able if possible for our schools to have gone on harmoniously 
as they have done, each district adopting such plan as suited 
itself, and without any strict definition of their legal rights. 

The question involved the whole subject of moral and re- 
ligious and of sectarian instruction in schools. The opin- 
ion given and the reasons for it were substantially as fol- 
lows : 

The right and duty of parents to give their children mor- 
al and religious instruction will be acknowledged by all, and 
each parent must judge for himself how far he is justified in 
educating them in the peculiarities of his own sect. 

In a private school the teacher may prescribe his own ex- 
ercises and no one has any right to complain. All who send 
to it, are supposed to understand and agree to the teacher's 
regulations. 

Bat what are the rights of parents and the rights and du- 
ties of teachers in regard to moral and religious instructions 
in Public Schools established by law, and supported out of 
the common property by people of different sects, and in a 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT.. 29 

country too, where no particular denomination of religion is 
maintained by the State ? 

Of the importance of moral instruction, so f^ir as it can be 
given without inculcating notions offensive to any sect, there 
seems to be but one opinion. 

But that the teaching of the peculiarities of any religious 
denomination should be excluded from our schools, seems to 
result from the principles on which our system is founded, 
and from the impossibility of maintaining schools upon any 
other system. 

In regard to the use of books in schools, the following 
opinion was expressed in the notes to the edition of the 
School Laws, Sec. 96. 

"No book should be introduced into any public school by 
the committee, containing any passage or matter reflecting 
in the least degree upon any religious sect, or which any re- 
ligious sect would be likely to consider ofienslve." 

In regard to the use of the Bible in schools, the following 

remarks were made in Sec. 129 of the notes : 

"In regard to the use of the Bible in schools, two observa- 
tions occur here. If the committee prescribe, or the teacher 
wishes to have the Bible read in school, it should not be 
forced upon any children whose parents have any objections 
whatever to its use. In most cases the teacher will have no 
difficulty with the parents on this subject, if he conducts 
with proper kindness and courtesy. In the next place, no 
scholars should be set to read in the Bible at school, until 
they have learned to read with tolerable fluency. To use it 
as a text book for the younger scholars, often has the efTect 
of leading them to look upon it with the same sort of care- 
less disregard, and sometimes dislike, with which they re- 
gard then" other school books, instead of that respect and 
veneration with which this Book of books should always be 
treated and spoken of." 

The opinions here expressed have nov/ been before the 
public for six years, and it is presumed have met with the 
approbation of the community. 

The rule laid down in the Laws of the State of Massachu- 



30 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

setts, while it points out and inculcates the duty of the 
teacher to give moral instruction, is carefully drawn to avoid 
giving countenance to any attempt to impart sectarian in- 
struction. 

"It shall be the duty of the teachers to use their best en- 
deavors to impress upon the minds of the youth committed 
to their care and instruction, the principles of piety, justice 
and a sacred regard to truth, love to their country, humanity 
and universal benevolence, sobriety, industry, frugality, 
chastity, moderation, temperance and those other virtues 
which are the ornament of human society and the basis upon 
which a republican constitution is founded ; and they shall 
endeavor to lead their pupils, as their ages and capacities will 
allow, into a clear understanding of the tendency of these 
virtues to preserve and perfect a republican constitution and 
secure the blessings of liberty, as well as to promote their 
own happiness ; and also to point out to them the evil ten- 
dency of the opposite vices." 

As these principles could not be expressed in better lan- 
guage, it has been copied almost word for word into the 
General Regulations of Upper Canada. Many of our towns 
have incorporated it in substance in their school regulations. 

It is well known that the greatest obstacles to establishing 
systems of education in England and Ireland have grown 
out of the question of religious instruction. The com- 
missioners of national education in Ireland, state that in the 
schools under their charge "the importance of religion is 
constantly impressed upon the minds of children through 
works calculated to promote good principles and fill the 
heart with love for religion, but which are so compiled as 
not to clash with the doctrines of any particular class of 
Christians." The books prepared for the Irish schools are 
in high repute. 

The common school law of Upper Canada provides "that 
in any model or common school established under this act, 
no child shall be required to read or study in or from 
any religious book, or to join in any exercise of devotion 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPOET. 3X 

or religion, which shall be objected to by his or her parents 
or guardians." 

I have adverted to these laws and regulations of foreign 
countries because they have there already encountered the 
very difficulties we are now contending with here, and that 
we may have the benefit of their experience. They show 
that even in countries where there is a church established 
by law, it has been found impossible to support any national 
or general system of educalion without most cautiously 
guarding against sectarianism. 

If sectarianism is to be excluded from our Schools, the 
question then arises, can prayer be made to express the sec- 
tarian peculiarities of the person who makes the prayer ? 
But one answer, an affirmative one, can be given to this 
question. 

It is the right and duty of every person to pray at the 
times and in the mode approved by his own conscience. 
But it seems equally plain that one person has no right to 
compel another to hear his prayers, if they are not agreea- 
ble to him. And it would amount to compulsion, if prayer 
is made a regular exercise of the school, and a pupil cannot 
come to the school without hearing it or violating the regu- 
lations of the school. 

Prayer may be a very proper and useful exercise in school, 
and yet government have no right to enforce attendance on 
it. Compulsory attendance on any religious worship is 
against the express provisions of our ancient declaration of 
rights, the substance of which is incorporated in our present 
Constitution. 

The conclusion, and the only conclusion that seems to 
me possible, is that prayer cannot be made a part of the regu- 
lar school exercises except by general consent. 

Any other rule would authorize a majority of a district, 
Episcopalian, Unitarian, Roman Catholic, or whatever de- 
nomination they might be of, to prescribe forms of worship 



32 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

for schools and to compel the children of the minority to hear 
them, or to be absent during their performance. 

It is probable however that if a teacher, while he introdu- 
ces the forms of Christianity into the school, would also ex- 
hibit an example of the effects of genuine Christianity in 
his own life, temper and language, avoiding occasions of of- 
fending the feelings of those who differ from him, he would 
seldom meet with any objection to his religious exercises. 
To the Lord's Prayer, or any in a similar spirit, probably no 
one would object. 

Religious exercises must therefore be left to voluntary ar- 
rangement between the trustees, teachers and parents. Any 
attempt to subject them to precise regulations, would be con- 
sidered as an infringement on the religious liberties of the 
people, and at variance with the fundamental principles of 
our public school system. 

In bringing these remarks to a close, I would invite your 
attention briefly to consider the peculiar advantages we en- 
joy as a State for the education of our people. About two- 
thirds of our whole population is in cities and villages. Our 
agricultural population is comparatively small. No other 
State in the Union is situated as we are. And as compact 
places can always support higher schools, we can therefore 
without extravagant expenditure give a good education to a 
greater portion of our whole people, than any other State in 
the Union, Massachusetts not excepted. Politically too we 
have more need of it than any other State in the Union, to 
guard against those sudden flaws of popular passion to which 
all small communities are liable. In a few short years Rhode 
Island may be the best educated community in the whole 
world. If we can do this, if we can take this honorable 
stand among the nations of the earth, let us resolve to do 
all that in us lies to accomplish it. 

E. R. POTTER, Comm'r of Public Schools. , 

Kingston, Jan. 24, 1 853. 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 



33 



Table No. 1, accompanying the Report of the Commissioner 
of PubUc Schools. 





Received from 


n 


<0 


Kxpended. 












s| 


a 


.8 


















o 


p 


lis 


TOWNS. 






i 


CD V 


o."^ 
M 


o 


1 


o 


^^2 








s 




a 


K 


a 


"o 


ra'S 




ffl 


1 

o 






a 


o 


o 


o 
"3 


o 
> 




M 


H 


« 


Pi 




Eh 

46473.79 


t32963.69 


w 





Providence 


9716.05 


.34000.00 




3157.74 






3500.00 

*4500.00 

2000.00 

*500.00 

*]500.00 

00.00 

00.00 

V, 81.11 

■i400.00 


North Providence 


1857.57 


35('0.00 




399.00 


264211 




5164.42 


1929.98 


Smithfield 


2759 19 


3000.00 




300 00 




6089.19 


6089.19 


1275.00 


GumberlandJ 


1578.87 


2000.00 




207.00 




5138.37 


5138.37 


405.00 


Scituate 


1027.74 


244.46 


1368.42 


454.61 


391.12 


3585.35 


3242.80 




Cranston 


1115.96 


1200.0(1 




355 00 


91.56 


2762.52 


2762 52 




Johnston 


752.51 


500.00 


217.54 


91.20 


212.10 


1561.15 


1561.15 


400.00 


Glocester 
Poster 


623.80 
475.35 


200.00 
181.11 


650.00 
855.02 


165-56 


405.57 


'.473.80 
2082.61 


1473.80 
1703.50 


150.00 
235.00 


Burrillville 


865.86 


300.00 








1165.66 


1165.86 




Newport^ 
Portsmouth 


2122.23 


1922.00 




n23..54 


333.26 


6569.03 


6066.77 


239.23 


3600.00 


449.02 


200.00 




110.00 




759.02 


7.59.02 




*250.00 


Middletown 


189.41 


10000 


405.06 


56.00 




750.41 


825.00 


43.3.00 


*200.00 


Tiverton 


1302.44 


1500.00 




68.49 




2870.9 S 


2870.93 


75.00 


1500.00 


Little Compton 


356.87 


120.00 


12=3.44 


15.30 




1775.51 


1775.57 


130.00 


*250.00 


New Shoieham 


369..S1 


100.00 


260.00 


63.20 




792.51 


725.50 


100.00 


100.00 


Jamestown 


67.28 


24.46 


212.97 






304.69 


304.69 




''is 


South Kingstown 


<)61.69 


460.00 


828 


334.41 


22^.00 


2808.10 


2808.10 




46000 


Westerly 


663.29 


260.00 


1172.58 


6.84 


46.23 


2088.94 


2042.71 




200.00 


North Kingstown 


711.56 


450.00 


513.44 


182.33 




2139.05 


1858.13 


750.00 


450.00 


Kxeter 


432 20 


148.92 


530 34 


46.80 


329.82 


1488.08 


1372.33 


486.04 


148.92 


Charlestown 


247.18 


125.00 


252.50 


86.60 


116,66 


e•^^.9'i 


896 31 




125.00 


Hopkinton 


655.21 


140.81 


376.00 


129.00 




1301 05 


1.301.05 


SOO.OO 


140.81 


Kichmond 


418.30 


120.00 








538.30 


517.59 




*200.00 


Warwick 


1755.86 


600.00 




261.80 


846.24 


3463.90 


3075.49 






Coventry 


841.00 


200.21 


263.57 


126.81 


299.51 


1731.13 


1561.95 


2517.25 


^3 


East GreenwichTI 


544.82 


18J.60 


8.00 


76.24 


81.81 


894.47 


667.10 




181.60 


West Greenwich 


324.70 


77.31 
















Bristol 


1080.86 


22.')0.00 


723.00 


87.00 


22.43 


5789.69 


4585.0o! 


200.00 


*2900 0O 


Warren 


583.31 


15U0.00 


6.00 


85.69 


44.55 


2160.50 


2180..50 




*1700.0O 


Barrington 


148.45 


200.00 


283.91 


24.49 


45.00 


701.40 


656.40 




200.00 




34997.89 


55305.91 


10209.79 


8014.65 


613157 


115160.21 


981.35.44 


9625.50 





Those tmrked thus * have increased their appropriations. 

tDeduct this from 46,873 79 and you have what has been spent for repairs, fuel, &c. 

J$1353 50 from tax Woonsocket. 

§$1078 from fund. 

ITA fund of $2000, but no income. 



34 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S EEPORT. 



Table No. 2, accompanying the Report of the Commissioner 
of PubUc Schools. 





Districts. 


School Houses. 




Schol 


ars. 




Teachers. 


TOWNS. 




■a 

N 

'3 

to 


O 




s 

.2 

'u 

p. 








■a 

a 

<* . 
a S 










U 


rs 




o 




<u 




tcS 




V 




t 


o 


S 


s 




JO 


a 






.S 


"3 

s 




u 




(» 


>t 




o 


o 


> 


d 


(a 




o 




O 


m 


K 


^ 


tx. 


H 


<i 


s 


t^ 


Providence 












~ 3102 


3305 


6407 


4938 


12 


96 


North Providence 


10 






10 




949 


795 


1744 


1116 


10 


17 


Smithfieldt 


as 






24 


11 


• 1118 


1074 


2192 


1721 


25 


38 


Cumberland] 


20 






a20 




669 


666 


1138 


944 


10 


20 


Scituate 


18 






17 




481 


312 


793 


566 


13 


19 


CranstonJ 


11 






11 




464 


404 


868 


669 


3 


14 


Johnston 


13 






8 


5 


365 


262 


627 


401 


10 


5 


Glocesterll 


14 


1 




11 


1 


260 


211 


471 


341 


10 


13 


Foster 


19 






n 


8 


340 


237 


577 


351 


13 


11 


BurrillTille§] 


IC 






15 




357 


293 


65LI 


413 


7 


12 


Newporttf 






3 






526 


449 


975 


851 


5 


13 


Portsmouth** 


7 






6 




181 


158 


339 


168 


5 


1 


Middletown 


5 






5 




109 


52 


161 


110 


5 


3 


Tiverton 


17 






16 


i 1 


559 


416 


975 


697 


9 


17 


Little Compton 


9 


1 




9 


1 


216 


170 


386 


187 


8 


10 


New Shoreham 


5 






5 




193 


167 


36y 


189 


5 




'Jamestown 


2 




2 






25 


24 


49 


36 


2 


2 


South Kingstown 


20 


1 




19 


2 


488 


342 


840 


58S 


13 


8 


Westerly 


10 






10 




361 


303 


664 


487 


10 


4 


North Kins'stownt+ 


15 






13 


2 


340 


222 


562 


385 


11 


5 


Exeterjj: 


14 






13 




235 


152 


387 


237 


12 


1 


Charlestownllll 


7 


1 




6 


I 


127 


117 


244 


154 


7 


1 


Hopkinton 


12 






12 




287 


239 


526 


321 


9 


3 


Richmond§§ J 


13 






13 




202 


174 


376 


308 


11 


2 


*Warwick 


15 






12 


2 


622 


622 


1244 


812 


11 


il 


Coventrylf^ 


17 


1 




16 


i 


418 


281 


699 


448 


15 


1 


East Greenvcich 


4 


1 


4 


1 




175 


98 


273 


211 


4 


5 


West Greenwich*** 












170 


120 


290 


200 






Bristol 


4 


4 


7 




1 


376 


316 


692 


591 


5 


10 


*Warren 




3 


3 






177 


156 


333 


t220 






Barrington 


3 






3 




68 


54 


122 


102 


3 


5 


*Ind. School.ttt 












19 


17 


36 


13 








13,979 


12,208 


26,200 


18,772 


253 


34 



tNo district 30th. 

:fNos. 6 and 8 no return. 

||3, 4 and 5 joint. 14 Mt. Hj-geia 1-2 district with Foster. 

§No. 8 no return, 

1117 Schools— 19 teachers. New house cost $8,019 17. 

**3 and 7 no return. 

ttNos. 3 and 4 are a consolidated district at Wickford. No report from 12. 

II A joint district with Richmond. 

II II A joint district at Carolina Mills. 

§§ Joint at Carolina Mills, Usquepaug, Iron Works and with Exete» 

11115 and 10 no returns. 

***E'^timated. No returns from several districts. 

tttSupported by $100 appropriated by State. 

al, 2, 19 and 20 consolidated. 

iEstimated — av. only given between the terms. 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 



35 



Table No. 3, accompanying the Report of the Commissioner 
of Pubhc Schools. 







« 


6 




STATISTICS FROM NEW CENSUS. 






°& 


"o 


1 




. L 




ja 






o . 


T3 


TOWNS. 


1 « 

is 

2 ^ 

Isi 


d 

o 
"o 
J5 




P > 
ex! 

o.'~' 


5 
a . 

Is 




o 


B 

3 

Q 

1 

"3 


3 


-3 

a 


O i. 
^ Oi 

■a 2 


a 
a 

13 


n 




^ 


< 


o 


o 

CI, 


Pi 


■3 


Q 


a 


S 


<% 




Providence 


9,716 05 


6,407 


4,938 


9,150 


4,13C 


13,286 


3 


7 


lii 


9 


6,705 


879 


North Providence 


1,857 60 


1,744 


1.116 


1,74-3 


797 


2,540 


1 


3 


4 


2 


1,310 


433 


Smithfiold 


2,759 19 


2,192 


1,72! 


2,701 


l,07i 


•3,773 


1 


5 


4 


4 


2,281 


469 


Cumberland 


1.578 87 


1,138 


944 


1,472 


687 


2.169 


3 


3 


3 




1,234 


301 


Scituate 


l,02tj 74 


793 


566 


1021 


SSi' 


1,404 


2 


1 


2 


2 


995 


65 


Cranston 


1,116 9ti 


868 


669 


1,072 


45J 


1,526 


6 


4 


4 




869 


91 


Johnston 


752 51 


627 


401 


751 


27k 


1,029 


2 


1 




1 


617 


3 


Glocester 


623 80 


471 


341 


593 


260 


8.53 


3 


4 


4 


3 


691 


66 


Foster 


475 35 


577 


351 


467 


193 


650 


10 


3 


4 


2 


495 


13 


Burrillville 


865 86 


650 


413 


822 


362 


1,184 


2 


2 


1 




845 


92 


Newport 


2,122 23 


975 


851 


2,102 


800 


2,902 


4 


4 


16 


5 


1,556 


212 


Portsmouth 


449 02 


339 


168 


448 


166 


614 


5 


3 


4 




442 


31 


Middletovvn 


189 41 


161 


110 


478 


81 


259 


1 




1 




163 


1 


Tiverton 


1.302 44 


975 


697 


1,274 


507 


1,781 


24 


2 


3 


3 


1,208 
503 


309 


Little Compton 


3;)6 87 


386 


187 


388 


100 


488 




1 


2 






New Shoreham 


369 31 


360 


189 


362 


123 


505 


6 


4 




4 


402 


8 


Jamestown 


67 28 


49 


36 


62 


30 


92 




1 


2 




69 




South Kingstown 


961 69 


840 


585 


952 


363 


1,315 




1 


5 


] 


929 


71 


Westerly 


663 29 


664 


487 


649 


258 


907 


3 


5 


3 




634 


40 


North Kingstown 


711 56 


562 


385 


715 


258 


973 


6 


4 


7 


5 


778 


111 


Exeter 


432 20 


387 


237 


407 


184 


691 


1 


3 


4 


6 


406 


42 


Charlestown 


247 It 


244 


154 


252 


86 


338 


2 


2 




1 


243 


13 


Hopkinton 


655 24 


526 


321 


666 


236 


896 


5 


1 


3 




691 


30 


Richmond 


418 30 


376 


308 


416 


156 


572 


1 




1 




363 


9 


Warwick 


1,755 86 


1,244 


812 


1,793 


608 


2,401 


3 


2 


9 




1,386 


85 


Coventry 


841 GO 


699 


448 


841 


309 


1,150 


1 


1 


6 


1 


213 


99 


East Greenwich 


544 82 


273 


211 


563 


182 


745 


3 




1 


1 


611 


86 


West Greenwich 


324 70 


290 


200 


311 


133 


444 


2 




4 


2 


201 




Bristol 


1.030 86 


692 


501 


1,074 


40'! 


1,478 


6 
4 


1 


5 




995 


141 


Warren 


583 31 


333 


220 


567 


232 


799 


10 


3 


655 


43 


Barrington 


148 45 


122 


102 


143 


60 


203 










142 


1 


Ind. School. 




3b 


13 








- 
















26,200 


18,772 


33.95S 


13,896 


47.867 


108 


68 


233 


55 


28,331 


2,744 



APPENDIX No. I. 



THE RELATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES. 

The following extracts from a Report of Prof. Andrews, of 
Marietta, upon the relation between schools and colleges, con- 
tain so much good sense upon this subject, that we are very 
glad to republish them. They are from the Ohio Journal of 
Education. 

'• Another principle universally recognized, is, that there 
must he classificatioji — classification of schools as well as in 
schools. The schools themselves must be arranged in classes, 
as well as the pupils in a particular school. There is no one 
feature made more prominent than this, by the best instruc- 
tors in the nation. Its introduction into our towns has wrought 
a most wonderful transformation. There would be elemen- 
tary schools for beginners, then others of higher and higher 
grades, till ample provision should be made for the general 
education of every child and youth in the State. 

We should not expect that each pupil would complete the 
whole course. Yet the number that would attempt this, 
would be in proportion to the completeness of the classifica- 
tion, and to the excellence of the instruction in the elementa- 
ry departments. Nor do we now inquire how many or 'how 
high grades should be established in any individual township, 
town, or city ; we affirm only that, somewhere, institutions 
should be provided, in which the wants of all might be met. 
To equalize perfectly the advantages of any system would 
be manifestly impossible. The more dense the population, 



38 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S EEPORT. 

the more complete the classification could be made. In the 
more sparsely settled regions, after progressing as far as their 
neighborhood schools could carry them thoroughly and eco- 
nomically, the more studious would seek admission into the 
High School or Academy of the nearest large town. And if 
any should wish to make acquisitions beyond what the High 
School could furnish, they must repair to institutions of still 
higher grade. 

Thus far our supposed system. Now, taking the State as 
a whole, have we not substantially the system already, so far 
at least as this feature of classification is concerned ? Is there 
not provisions for the child, from his entrance into the primary 
school, until he shall have finished the whole range of studies 
deemed necessary to a liberal education ? I do not say that 
these schools, of whatever grade, are in every particular, pre- 
cisely what they should be, but that the institutions exist 
which profess to furnish, each in its sphere, all that a finished 
general education requires. 

From what has been said, we cannot mistake as to the con- 
nection between Schools and Colleges. Colleges constitute 
the highest grade of our non-professional educational institu- 
tions. They are an integral part of the system, sustaining to 
the High School and Academy precisely the same relation 
which these sustain to the lower schools. 

Until recently, all non-professional institutions have been 
ranged in three divisions — Common Schools. Academies and 
Colleges. Of these three, the College has been much the 
most specific in its character. It has undertaken a more de- 
finite work than either of the others. In them a much great- 
er variety of attainment has always been found. The Aca- 
demy has admitted multitudes that ought to have been in the 
School, and the School has been compelled to retain many 
that should have been found in the Academy. In practice, 
there has been no boundary line between them, except in the 
case of a yery few of our best Academies. But the College 
|ias always had its boundaries on either side. It has required 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT, • 39 

a definite amount of literaiy attainment for entrance, and the 
completion of the prescribed course of study, is the comple- 
tion of the student's connection witli it. Tlie inmates of the 
College have also been required to arrange themselves in class- 
es, that the instruction might be rendered as efficient as possi- 
ble, bj^ giving ample time to the recitations, and by permitting 
the instructors to confine themselves to particular branches^ 
Thus, Colleges have ever conformed to the two great features 
of classification. 

The other departments of what I have called general edu- 
cation are now beginning to follow the example of the Col- 
lege, in the matter of classification. Formerly, the common 
school and the academy had no limitation in the range of 
studies. The pupil might enter when he chose, and remain 
as long as he chose. And so long as his teacher was willing 
to hear him, he might study Vvdiat he. chose. Thus, the teach- 
er was sometimes required to pass from a recitation in the 
primer to one in Virgil — from one in the elements of numbers 
to one in Trigonometry. But an improvement has commenc- 
ed. The principle of division of labor, so long in use in our 
colleges, is beginning to be applied to schools. Most of our 
towns now have their Graded Schools, each possessing a defi- 
nite course of study, which the pupil must complete before he 
can pass on to the next higher : and when he has completed 
it, he must pass on. The advantages of this arrangement- 
are so manifest in theory'-, and in its practical workings it com- 
bines so fully both economy and efficiency, that no doubt can 
be indulged of its general prevalence. 

It is sometimes said that " Colleges are behind the age." 
It is one of the most general of all generalities, and may mean 
anything or nothing. Whatever may be intended by it when 
applied to Colleges, we have seen that one of the greatest im- 
provements introduced into our schools has been adopted from 
the Colleges : so that, if they are behind the age, they at least 
have the Union Schools to keep them company. 

The College then is, chronologically, the last school in our 



40 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S EEPORT. 

general school system. Using the most general classification 
and nomenclature, we have five departments — the Primary? 
the Secondary, the Grammar School , the High School, and the 
College, occupying from two to four years each. They all 
have the same end in view, and differ only in the order of 
succession. Some think that Colleges are intended specially 
for professional men ; and so many think that High Schools 
and Academies are for the special benefit of the rich. The 
two opinions are deserving of equal credit. From the day 
the boy commences the alphabet, to the day that terminates 
his collegiate course of study, he is pursuing those studies 
which the intelligent voice of mankind has pronounced to be 
the best adapted to the development of his intellectual facul- 
ties. Examine the course of study in all the best Union 
Schools in Ohio, and you will find a remarkable similarity. 
Go to other States, and it is still the same. Whence has it 
arisen? Manifestly from the conviction, in the minds of in- 
telligent men engaged in the work of instruction, that these 
studies, each in its place, are just what the v/ants of the pu- 
pils require. 

If, as I have before supposed, the whole school system were 
to be re-constructed, should we not have substantially, the 
same grades as now exist ? It would hardly be affirmed that 
the highest grade is unnecessary, because some of our young 
men are too highly educated. Nor would it be said that the 
studies of that grade could be better pursued without instruc- 
tors. Professional education is obtained by the aid of teachers, 
and that, in most of the professions, at a very heavy expense. 
Much more, then, does general education, which precedes pro- 
fessional, require instructors. 

What institutions shall furnish the closing portion of a good 
general education ? Were our High Schools to attempt it with 
their present organization, they would violate the principle that 
lies at the basis of Graded Schools. Give them a large corps of 
instructors, and increase the time to six or eight years, and 
they might do it. In that case, however, they must be divi- 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 41 

(led into at least two grades ; the upper of which would be, in 
substance, a College. But. except in the case of our large cit- 
ies, the expense of such an arrangement would be an insuper- 
able obstacle. The Metropolitan City is now making the ex- 
periment with her Free Academy, and we doubt not that it 
will be successful. 

But even if all our large cities had institutions of the high- 
est grade for their own youth, they could not meet the wants 
of the citizens of our towns and townships. Parents would 
not send their children to the cities. There must be institu" 
tions, located at eligible points, to meet these wants. We have 
them already, and they are called Colleges. What link is 
wanting in the system? It may be enlarged and perfected, 
but it now seems to be a continuous system — an uninterrupted 
succession of links. 

I have dwelt more upon the relation of Colleges to the oth- 
er parts of the system, because of the vagueness which exists 
in the minds of not a few, as to the precise place which Col- 
leges occupy in our educational machinery. If the view now 
presented is the true one, the College is the highest of our in- 
stitutions for general education, as distinct from professional. 
The culture which it gives may be more essential to certain 
occupations than to others, but it is because these require a 
higher culture. In this, it is not peculiar. It is the same from 
the beginning of the school course. Especially is it true of 
the High School and Academy. But who calls these profes_ 
sional ? Or what Teacher, who is worthy of the name, would 
hesitate to affirm that the studies of the High School would 
be of incalculable value to every lad, no matter what might 
be his future employment ? From beginning to end, through 
every stage of the educational process, which commences in 
the primary school and closes with the college, the culture is 
intended for the future man, as man — as a being endowed by 
his Creator with noble faculties, which need development ; 
and not for him as a merchant, or a farmer, or a lawyer, in 
distinction from the other pursuits of life. 



42 SCHOOL COMJIISSIONER'S REPORT. 

When a lad applies for admission to the public schools of 
this city, is the inquiry made, what is to be his future avoca- 
tion, and are his studies arranged accordingly? By no means. 
Who can tell, in this land of ours, what is to be a lad's future 
career ? The only inquiry is, what are his present attain- 
ments? These known, certain studies are assigned him, 
which are precisely what he needs ; and no material alteration 
would be made, could the instructor pierce the veil of futurity 
and know absolutely the occupation of the future man. Nei- 
ther, I venture to assert, does any superintendent excuse a lad 
from the study of arithmetic because he avows that he has no 
love for the study, or because a phrenological examination 
should develop the fact, that the mathematical bump was rath- 
er below than above the average. And yet, because Colleges 
do precisely in this respect what is done in the best schools in 
the land, we find men, otherwise well mformed, declaring that 
the present college system does not meet the wants of the age. 

Let it be remembered, that the principles of these obJ3ctions, 
so far as they are based on any principles, legitimately carried 
out with respect to the other parts of our great school system, 
would utterly annihilate its highest excellences. Every blow 
aimed at what is called the "compulsory" principle in our 
Colleges, is just as truly a blow at the sj^stem of Graded or 
Union Schools. They are parts of the same great and beau- 
tiful system, and are based on one and the same principle — 
perfect classification. 

To remodel the College System by taking away the " com- 
pulsory" principle, i. e., the principle of complete classification, 
and permitting each student to make his own selection of stu- 
dies, would be like giving up our Graded Schools and going 
back to the single district system. Yet such a plan has its 
advocates, who claim, withal, to be in the very van of the 
world's progressives. They say, a young man's tastes must 
be consulted — the studies must be adapted to his mental id- 
iosyncracy — or there will be no real discipline of the faculties ; 
and, again, his proposed pursuit in life must determine his 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. ' 43 

course of study. They do not tell us what is to be done, 
when his future occupation pulls him in one direction, and his 
mental idiosnycracy in the opposite. 

If an institution attempts to fit one young man to be a farm, 
er, another to be a merchant, and so on, through all the mul- 
tiplied avocations of society, its right to do so cannot be ques- 
tioned : ihis is a free country. But just so far as it does this, 
it becomes a professional school, and withdraws itself from 
the work of general education. And yet, strangely enough, 
it is on this -professional characteristic, that the clanns of such 
institutions to public favor are based. The points of differ- 
ence between them and other Colleges, are just those between 
them and the best Graded Schools, So far forth as they dif- 
fer from other Colleges, they have no closer affinity for the 
general school system than the Starling Medical College. 

The system of general education has then its completion in 
the College proper. The College is the continuation of the 
course commenced years before in the most elementary de- 
partment It sustains to the High School and Academy, ex- 
actly the relation that one of these does to the next before it 
in order of time. The whole forms a complete school system. 
The object of each department is the same as that of the oth- 
ers, and if any one fails perfectly to accomplish that work, it 
furnishes but another proof that imperfection attaches to all 
human works. 

Let us now consider the influence which Schools and Col- 
leges exert upon each other. 

The influence of the School upon the College is direct and 
immediate. The road to the latter lies through the former. 
The college having always adhered to the principle of the 
division of labor, must receive its pupils from the school. Ac- 
cording to the character of the training to which they have 
there been subjected, will be in no small measure, their future 
scholarship. If this early training has been imperfect, how- 
ever faithfully the student may perform his collegiate duties, 
he cannot wholly free himself from the difficulties which 



44 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

have thus been brought upon him. On the other hand, when 
all this previous work has been properly performed, each 
branch having received its appropriate attention, and at the 
proper time, the student is prepared to reap all the advantages 
which a woU-digested collegiate course is calculated to fur- 
nish. 

The College is also dependent upon the School for the hab- 
its of study of its students. Before entering college the pupil 
has spent from six to twelve years in the different departments 
of the schools. In this long period, habits will have been 
formed which it will be difficult to change. If these are what 
they should be, the previous teachers will deserve no small 
share of the praise for the student's subsequent success; and 
so, if these habits are the opposite of what they should be, to 
the same previous teachers must be attributed a considerable 
portion of the blame of his final failure. 

In both the particulars now mentioned, it will be seen that 
the influence of the previous schools upon the College, is just 
the same as that of the lower schools upon the High School. 
The amount of this influence is believed in both cases to be 
greatly underrated, and the tendency is too common to attri- 
bute all the imperfections of a young man's education to the in- 
stitution, whether school or college, where his course was 
nominally finished ; whereas, in truth, every school in which 
he has been enrolled, and every teacher who has attempted 
to give him instruction, has contributed to the final result. 

A third particular may be mentioned in which the influence 
of the school upon the college is too great to be overlooked. 
It is an influence not affecting the scholarship of the students, 
but their number. The question whether a lad shall receive 
a liberal education, is very frequently decided by the teacher 
of the school. This is done in different ways ; sometimes by 
direct advice. A teacher who has imbibed a prejudice against 
collegiate institutions, learns that a bright lad among his pu- 
pils has a half-formed purpose of obtaining a liberal education. 
He endeavors to dissuade him— magnifies the difficulties to 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT.. 45 

be encountered — tells him that such an education will do him 
no good, and that he will be better off without it. Or, with- 
out taking ground thus positively against a college education, 
he may, by doubt and insinuation, accomplish the end quite 
as effectually. The ingenuous boy has confidence in his 
teacher, and the noble purpose is nipped in the bud. A word 
of encouragement, on the other hand, would have cherished 
and strengthened the purpose, and in after years that instruc- 
tor might perhaps have seen his former pupil taking his place 
among the magnates of the Republic, a dispenser of blessings 
to his country and the race. 

The same ends are often accomplished without any direct 
effort on the part of the teacher. Is he incompetent, possessed 
of little knowledge himself, and poorly fitted to impart that 
little, how can he stir up the dormant energies of those entrust- 
ed to his care ? — how instil into their minds that thirst for 
knowledge, which constitutes one of the strongest guaranties 
for future improvement? He stands before his pupils a sort 
of personification of education, and no wonder they have no 
desire to go farther. Contrast with him the man of large and 
varied acquirements, of ripe and polished scholarship, and pos- 
sessing, besides, that enthusiasm in his work, that power of 
enkindling in the breasts of his pupils a strong desire to know, 
which is second to no other qualification of the most success- 
ful teacher. Can genius long remain latent under such influ- 
ences? As part after part of the rich domain of knowledge is 
explored with suf^h a guide, will there not spring up an irre- 
pressible desire to go farther — to make still wider explorations ? 
The higher the culture, and the more varied and accurate the 
attainments of the teacher of the school, when associated, as 
they should always be, with intense enthusiasm, the greater 
will be the number to be seen urging their way onward from 
ijrade to grade, till they have possessed themselves of the 
liighest advantages that our great educational system can of- 
ler. 

But what is the influence of the College upon the School ? 



46 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

Keeping in mind that the College is the highest department in 
the system of genaral education, it is manifest that, wherever 
correct views are entertained of our educational machinery as 
a whole, the College must act with magnetic force upon the 
pupils of the other departments. Prominent among the rea- 
sons urged for the establishment of High Schools in our towns 
and cities, is this — that the High School will exert a. powerful 
influence upon the lower schools, by inciting their pupils to 
greater diligence and faithfulness in their studies. The ar- 
gument is equally applicable to the College. 

Again, it is urged in favor of the establishment of High 
Schools and Academies, that they will furnish teachers. This 
argument, too, whose truthfidness will not be questioned, ap- 
plies with equal pertinency to the College. The College ben- 
efits the School by training up and sending forth those that 
will become teachers. It seems hardly necessary to say, that 
I do not mean to affirm that the knowledge and intellectual 
discipline obtained in College, are all that the good teacher 
needs ; and yet there are not a few who seem to think, that 
because the young graduate does not at once equal the teach- 
er who has had the experience of half a score of years, there- 
fore a College education is no help to a man who would be- 
come an instructor. It requires strong logic to show the con- 
nection here between premise and conclusion. 

A College is not a Normal School, though it may have such 
a department. And it is no more to be blamed for not doing 
the work of a Normal School than is a High School. The 
province of each of them is, not to educate a young man as a 
teacher, any more, or any less, than as a merchant. Each 
has for its appropriate office the communication of knowledge 
and the development of the whole mind, and not that of in- 
itiating into the mysteries of teaching as a profession. This 
last is the province especially of the Normal School ; and 
when such a school shall have been established in our State, 
let every candidate for admission into the corps of teachers, 
be required to certify that he has been in attendance at that 
school, or some other, at least one term. 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 47 

It requires a rare combination of excellencies to make a 
good teacher — a teacher of a school. It is hardly too much 
to say, that success — a high degree of success — is a more 
difficult attainment in this than in any other of the occupations 
of life. One of these excellencies, and certainly one of the 
first importance, is knowledge — knowledge of the subjects 
which our children must be taught. The more knowledge 
the teacher has the better, other things being equal ; for it is 
a rare complaint against him, that he knows too much, or too 
well. The best teacher is never satisfied with his present at- 
tainments — he is always learning. The more he learned 
when a pupil, the higher is his starting point as a teacher. 
Now some things taught in College are certainly more im- 
mediately available to the teacher than others, but there is not 
one which it is not for his interest to know — there is not one 
which our best instructors, whose early opportunities were 
limited, are not studying for themselves, as they can snatch 
fragments of time from the pressure of their daily duties. — 
Should it be said that it is better to pursue these studies thus 
than under instructors, then we may affirm the same of other 
branches lower down on the scale, till, in the end, we shall 
shut up every school house in the land. 

The principle that attainments in the higher studies quali- 
fy for the better understanding of the most elementary branch- 
es, is acted upon universally. The man who instructs the 
most advanced classes in the High School, is the Superinten- 
dent of the Primary Schools, the teachers of which instruct 
under his direction. So in the very center of educational pro- 
gress, on the soil where good schools flourish best, such 
thoroughly educated men as Horace Mann, Barnas Sears and 
Henry Barnard, are appointed State Superintendents. 

Once more : Colleges repay the Schools by scattering abroad 
through the community a class of men who are always found 
to be the warmest supporters of good schools. Liberally ed- 
ucated men, without exception, are anxious that their children 
should be well instructed. They are always foremost in em- 



48 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

ploying well qualified instructors, and most ready to give them 
an adequate compensation. Their countenance and support 
may be depended upon when the teacher has to contend with 
the prejudices of the narrow-minded and ignorant. Their ju- 
dicious suggestions for the improvement of his school, will 
always meet his approbation and encouragement. When our 
noble system of free schools is attacked by the demagogue 
under the plea of economy, the educated man will be found 
among its most earnest and successful defenders." 



SOME THOUGHTS ON COLLEGE EDUCATION. 

BY TAYLER LEWIS. 

The following letter, grew out of a request made to 
Professor Lewis to be present and take part in the discus- 
sion of the question, — Whether " Our Colleges meet the 
demands for education in this country." This was his 
reply : 

" Union College, Schenectady, ^ 
Tuesday, Feb. 6th, 1850. $ 
Dear Sir : — 

The discussion to which you invite me is certainly a very 
interesting one, and I should like much to be present. 
That, however, will be out of my power. Of the general 
question proposed I should take the negative side, but on 
very different grounds from those that would probably be 
assumed by my old friend, Mr. Greeley. A higher order of 
education, I would say, is demanded from our colleges, if 
we use the term demand for the intrinsic need or want, and 
in this sense, value of the thing, rather than the clamor of 
the popular press ; or, in other words, if we employ educa- 
tion in its true and highest meaning, as being the culture, 
growth, development, and formation of mind as mind, and 
of man as man, in distinction from the partial knowledge 
which has nothing to do with such culture and formation, 
but has regard solely to particular pursuits and branches of 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 49 

business. If we take the word, then, in the first sense, and 
the true sense, and, as I could show (did time and space 
permit), the most really practical sense, our colleges do not 
meet the intrinsic demands for education in this country. 
They have been drawn away by the popular clamor into a 
more relaxed, diluted, and superficial course, which has 
taken the name of the practical ; whilst experience, as far 
as the experiment has been tried, is daily showing that it 
turns out weaker men, less truly practical men, less prepared 
to meet the flood of quakery which is pouring from the 
press, from the public lecture, and even from the pulpit. 
The immense amount of spurious opinions, spurious philos- 
ophy, and spurious science even (as the term is abused), all 
over our land, furnishes the strongest argument in proof of 
the need of a truly educated class, of the want of an order 
of minds thoroughly drilled in the strong old scholastic 
course, embracing that harmonious mixture of the pure 
mathematics, rich classical knowledge, logic, rlietoric, mental 
and moral philosophy, together with the fundamental ele- 
ments of physical science, which makes the strong man, the 
practical man, the man prepared to make himself master of 
any kind of useful, or useless, knowledge he may afterwards 
choose to acquire. Experience is showing that every 
essential departure from this course (although there may be 
modifications in detail) leads only to inefficiency, and super- 
ficial and chaotic knowledge. 

There is also (and here I speak from my decided experience 
as a teacher) a great fallacy about this so-called ^^ nscfiiV^ 
or " business knowledge." I have generally found the kind 
of education that deals most in this sort of cant, to be, of all 
others, the most worthless, useless, and absolutely good for 
nothing, if not positively pernicious. It does not even 
secure that at which it professes to aim. The reason is ob- 
vious. Cut of from its relations to the general design and 
innate idea of education, it is necessarily superficial; and all 
4 



50 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

superficial knowledge is chaotic, and thus far productive of 
mental imbecility. Again, it is one-sided ; and all one-sided 
knowledge taken out of the general scheme of truth, and 
viewed aside from its connexions with other sciences, is ne- 
cessarily distorted and incorrect. Partial course students, 
pursuing what are called the practical and useful branches, 
1 have almost always found to be inferior, even in their own 
chosen studies, to those who take the full scholastic course, 
which goes to make up the harmonious whole we style a 
" liberal education.'' 

There is, again, another fallacy involved in these "useful 
science" schemes. Real scientific men can be only those, 
with very rare exceptions, who are able to devote their lives, 
and who do devote llieir lives, to scientific piu'suits. All 
absurd questions and complaints about aristocracy and demo- 
cracy, and "buried genius," and intellect " born to blush 
unseen," are here altogether out of j)lace. Life is too short, 
and " art too long," to admit the truth of any other idea re- 
specting it. Scientific men, truly scientific men, must, as a 
general rule, form a class. There is no help for it. And 
whilst this is so, the practical applications of science to bu- 
siness and trades, and mechanic arts, must be, more or less, 
the empirical use of principles brought out in the closet or 
the laboratory. If a man wants chemistry for no other or 
Jiigher purpose than some of its applications to his trade or 
business (and if he does want it for some higher purpose it 
is no longer as nsefiil knowledge), why should each one in 
these circiuiistances learn the whole science for himself, and 
study it out for liimsc-lf, when it has already been studied 
out for him by others, and that too so much better than he 
could have ever done it for himself? Why not in the same 
way each man his own physician ? But in truth, he does 
not really learn it. It is worse than emjiirical knowledge 
after all, for that may have some modesty about it, some 
sense of its own deficiency. To found mechanical or agri- 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 5| 

eulcural colleges, in which, by a three months' or a six 
monfhs' attendance, onr young men generally are expected 
to be made scientific, is only the most ready way to make 
pretenders, and to fill the land with worthless, and worse 
than worthless, because superficial knowledge ; as from the 
very nature of the case and shortness of the time, it must be. 
One truly scientific and practical man sent abroad at the 
public expense to lecture throughout our state, on the direct 
applications of chemistry and other branches, would effect 
more than all the mechanical, or agricultural, or manual 
labor colleges that could be contrived to waste the public 
means. 

There is a third mistake on this subject. The science ac- 
tually required for practical pursuits, or for what is called 
business, is really far smaller in amount than is generally 
imagined. What there is of it, too, is much better, and 
more clearly, and more safely learned as accurate empirical 
knovv^ledge, than in a futile attempt to grasp what is- really 
never thoroughly laid hold on, and which, moreover, in 
consequence of its nectjssary superficialness, leaves the mind 
in a worse state than it found it. It is not only in a worse 
condition generally, but in a worse condition to use the very 
knowledge thus required, than if it had been received as 
simple fact or truth, without any weak attempts to theorize 

respecting it. 

**** * #** 

Now the very facts that such unsound notions are all 
abroad, and that they increase in proportion as our colleges 
are inclined to relax in favor of a more popular system ;. 
these very facts create the strongest arguments in favor 
of their retracing their steps, and aiming, on the other hand, 
to produce a more highly and thoroughly educated class, as 
a counteracting force. Hence would I maintain that our 
colleges, instead of accommodating themselves to a false 
sentiment, which is never satisfied with any concessions. 



52 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

should rather return to a more scholastic system ; that is, a 
system more grounded on the most fundamental truth, — a 
system aiming at a well-balanced, well-harmonized course 
of study, in which the humanities (that is, the studies that 
pertain to man as man) should be well taught, rather than at 
great extent or diversity in matters of instruction, or at the 
accommodation of these to what are called "immediate 
practical utilities." If onr colleges once depart radically, 
in this way, from the true idea of liberal education, there 
can be consistently no stopping-place, no end to these 
demands of " practical utilities," until they have run through 
the whole course of occupations and trades, and established 
professorship for them all, from the art and mystery of the 
hod-carrier to that of the architect. 

They have already gone far enough in this direction. 
Experience, the best guide, is too conclusively showing that 
somehow, with all the pains and all the boast about being 
" useful^''' the results are after all poor and worthless. It is 
time, therefore, that there sliould be a reconstruction, a re- 
turn to a system known to have produced better fruit, 
although this old mode might perhaps, be slightly modified 
in non-essentials to meet the new demands of increased 
physical science. But even the necessary and fandamental 
department on this kind of knowledge have been greatly 
overrated ; at least in their comparative value. Chemistry 
is indeed a noble science ; but in the midst oi abounding 
moral, social, political, and theological quackery, logic, or a 
close acquaintance with the Jallacics as well as the legiti- 
mate power of language, may actually become not only 
higher, but even a more useful study than chemistry, with 
all its acknowledged value. Logical tests of false reasoning 
may be worth more, at such a time as this than chemical 
tests of poisons and bad medicines. Let any serious man 
read carefully for this purpose the speeches in Congress, and 
the leading articles in many of our most widely circulated 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 53 

newspapers, and then seriously ask Jiimself, what kind of 
knowledge our young men most want. The knowledge of 
icords, which some with sneering ignorance would set in 
contrast with things^ becomes one of the most useful of all 
things, at a time when things themselves are perverted, or 
seen tlirough a false medium in consequence of the universal 
abuse of language, in the rejection or distortion of the fun- 
damental ideas or first truths in which it is grounded. 



APPENDIX No. II. 



DECISIONS ON THE SCHOOL LAWS. 

USE OF SCHOOL HOUSES FOR OTHER PURPOSES THAN SCHOOL&. 

In the case of the appeal of Isaac Hall, of School District 
No. 10, of the town of North Kingstown, from the proceed- 
ings of the Trustees of said district, in permitting the 
school house in said district to be used for a debating so- 
ciety ; the said Trustees having been notified and heard be- 
fore the Commissioner at Wickford, on the 1st day of Feb- 
ruary, A. D. 1853. 

The case involves the right of the district or trustees, to 
use the school house for other purposes than an ordinary 
school, and depends partly upon the provisions of the general 
school laws, and partly upon the conditions of the deed of 
the lot upon Avhich this particular school house stands. 

The following remark upon this subject is made in sec- 
tion 121 of the notes to the School act : — " A school house, 
built or bought by taxation on the property of the district, 
should not be used for any other purpose than keeping a 
school, or for purposes directly connected with education, ex- 
cept by the general cfnsent of the tax-paying voters." 

The rule here laid down is believed to be substantially 
correct and sound. The district holds the property intrust 
for educational purposes. The money has been taken from 
the tax-payers by force of law for certain purposes, and fcr 
those only, and cannot be applied by either district or trus- 
tees to any other use. 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S KEPOIIT. 55 

I am of opinion that under the school law the house may 
be used for educational purposes collateral to the main pur- 
pose, such as meetings of the district for school business, 
lectures upon literary or scientific subjects, debating societies 
for the people or children of the district, &c. It may not be 
easy in all cases to draw the line between legal and illegal 
uses, but it woulJ be perfectly clear that the district could 
not use the house for trade or religious meetings, if any per- 
son objected to it. 

The question then arises whether the deed in the present 
case, varies the rights of partic^s from what they would be 
if the deed contained no conditions. 

By the deed from Joseph Case and others, dated October 
11th, 1848, the school house lot is conveyed to the district, 
" for the purpose of maintaining thereon a district school 
house and appurtenances, for the benefit of the district 
school of said district, and for no other use or purpose what- 
ever, except religious meetings," and it is provided " that 
when said lot of land shall cease 10 be occupied for the pur- 
poses of a district school aforesaid, the same shall revert to 
the grantors, their heirs and assigns forever." 

The exception in regard to religious meetings may be left 
out of consideration in the present case, It cannot affect it 
in any way. If the district have no right to religious meet- 
ings there independent of the deed, the deed cannot give it 
to them. And if the district would have such a right other- 
wise it may admit of question whether a provision in a deed 
would deprive them of it. 

Leaving out of consideration the words, "except religious 
meetings," the remainder of the first passage quoted from 
the deed, appears to me, on the matnrest reflection, to ex- 
press no more and no less than the school law according to 
the construction herein given to it, would have expressed 
without the deed ; the provision in the deed is exactly in 
the spirit of the law, and neither adds to or lessens the rights 
and powers of the district or trustees. 



56 SCHOOL COMMISSIOKER'S EEPOET. 

If the first passage quoted from the deed, does not vary the 
rights of the district, from what they would be, if there was 
no such provisions in the deed, the latter proviso appears for 
the same reason to contain no limitation as to the use of the 
house, which would prevent its being used for the purposes 
for which I have said the law apart from the deed would au- 
thorize. E. R. POTTER, 

Couimissioner of Public Schools. 

I have carefully considered of the above opioion and ap- 
prove of the same. I have also consulted with Judges Haile 
and Brayton, who concur with me in opinion. 

R. W. GREENE, 
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. 
March 4th, 1853. 



MAKING FIRES, ETC. IN SCHOOLS. 

Appeal to the Commissioner of Public Schools from a reg- 
ulation made by the School Committee of the town of North 
Kingstown, relating to the making of fires in school hmises. 

The regulation No. 26 adopted by the School Committee, 
October 25, 1852, is in these words : " The trustee or 
trustees of each district with the teacher, may cause the 
fires to be made in the school house, by directing the schol- 
ars of a suitable age, to take turns in making the fires, or 
procure them to be made in any other way they may think 
proper." 

In a private school the teacher has a right to prescribe his 
own terms. The parent who sends children to the school 
delegates to the teacher the right to govern them according 
to his own rules and to punish to a reasonable extent for the 
violation of them. The remedy of the parent, if he does 
not like the school or its regulations, is in not sending to it. 

Before the establishment of a public school system all our 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 57 

schools were of this character. The practice of requiring 
the scholars toperform services of this sort, was generally 
adopted in the country schools, and in many of them has 
continued to this day. It remains to inquire what alteration 
tlie establishing of public schools by law, supported by the 
common funds and property of the State, has made in the 
rights of the parties in this respect. 

To a public school every parent has a legal right to send 
his children. He sends them subject to the lawful auihoiity 
of the teacher, and to the lawful regulations which may be 
prescribed for the discipline and studies of tiie school, but he 
has a right to insist that no regulations be made which the 
law does not authorize. 

The right claimed, if it exists at all, must be derived from 
the general power of the Committee to make regulations, 
or from the authority given to districts and trustees to make 
assessments on scholars and their patents. (Sec. 59.) The 
latter, however, it is very evident, contemplates only assess- 
ments to be paid in money and not labor. 

The power of the Committee to make regulations is giv- 
en by Section 16, which authorizes them, " to make and 
cause to be put up in each school house, or furnished to each 
teacher a general system of rules and regulations for the ad" 
mission and attendance of jiupils, the classification, studies, 
books, discipline and method of instruction in the public 
schools." 

It seems to me very plain that the power to make a regu- 
lation of the character of the one in question is not given in 
this paragraph. We might as well infer a right to require 
the scholars to cut and saw the wood. And as I can find no 
other authority for it in the law, it must be considered as un- 
authorized by law, and accordingly null and void. 

The practical difficulty in the case may be easily obviated 
.by a voluntary arrangement on the part of the parents, or by 



58 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

making a small addition to the money assessments, and pay- 
ing some person for attending to it under the direction of 
the teacher. 

E. R. POTTER, 
Commissioner of Public Schools. 
Providence, R. I.. Jan. 1, 1853. 



APPENDIX No. III. 



RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS. 

The following extracts from writers of diflerent religious 
denomitiations, are given, in order to exhibit the grea ivariety 
of views upon this subject. Some of the extracts it is 
believed will be found suggestive of subjects for the most 
^erious reflection : 

Extract from a Lecture by Richard Gardnkr, Esq., be- 
fore the Public School Association of Lancasliire, England. 

" Another fundamental objection will be taken to the pl.m, 
as to which I shall not do more than throw out a few gen- 
eral observations. I alluded to the exclusion of theological 
teaching. This, it will be said, is godless education. Now, 
in the first ]ilace, that whicli is contemplated by the plan, or 
indeed by any system of day schools whatever, is not educa- 
tion at all, in the strict sense of the term. Education com- 
mences in the cradle, and is affected by all the circumstanceL; 
of a man's life in his course to the grave. The instruction 
received in the day school is one of those circumstances 
which we desire to make as favorable as possil)le. Then 
comes the question, What is to be taught in the day school ? 
I very much doubt whether, under any circumstances, this 
is the proper place for religious instruction. It is a place of 
labor, of restraint, and sentiments of punishment. I doubt 
whether the Bible and the Catechism have their appropriate 
place amidst the routine of ^xular studies, and whether one 



go SCPIOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

and the same teacher should be called upon, in one and the 
same course, to pass from the spelling book and the rule of 
three lo the mysteries and sanctions of Divine Truth. I 
lay very little stress upon that religious teaching which is 
given as a matter of drudgery and routine, sometimes, per- 
haps, amidst tears and disgrace. 1 know, at least, that this 
mixture is not generally attempted in day schools for the 
wealthier classes — at least it was not in my time. But how- 
ever this may be as an educational question, the political as- 
])ect of the plan makes the exclusion in question necessary. 
Society cannot unite in its corporate capacity to teach theo- 
logy, because society is one, but forms of faith are many. 
If society selects one form for its patronage, as the symbol 
of the nation's faith, it is, in my opinion, guilty of injustice ; 
if many, or all, of latiludinarianism. It might be possible 
to dexnse a plan which would nominally get over the diffi- 
culty, but we are satisfied that no compromise of the kind 
would work. But though the plan excludes theology from 
its schools, not as undervaluing the imporfdnce of such stu- 
dies, but from the necessity of the case, it is clear, I think, 
that it is calculated to prove highly favorable to the effective 
teaching of religion in other and more appropriate places. I 
believe that one reason for the comparatively small success 
of Hie vast religious agencies, which are now at Vv^ork in 
this country, is the low state of the intellectual culture of 
the people. Depend upon it, that a nation of Protestants 
will never be a religious people, till it becomes an intelli- 
gent people, because Protestantism appeals so much to the 
understanding." 

Extract of a Lecture before the same by John Mills, Esq. 
" If the advantage of teaching be a social advantage, and 
if the evil of its neglect be a social evil, why not consign 
the task to social agency — to government for instance, as the 
recognised organ of society ? But an intelligent voluntary 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 61 

would readily reply to this reasoning, *' 1 agree with you 
that the development of man's nature is a duty, and that the 
resulting advantage is a social one ; but it must not be for- 
gotten, that one part of the desired development is of a 
religious nature. Religion is a matter to be dealt with by 
individual conscience ; the law of conscience is, in reference 
to religious belief, supreme. Creeds vary ; the tax fund is 
contributed by the believers of all the varieties of creed. 
To devote any portion of that fund to the inculcation of any 
creed, is to violate the consciences of the adherents of all 
the rest. Between moral obligations, as between physical 
laws, there is, not indeed opposition, but due subordination, 
the lower to the higher. To secure human development 
by the compromise of spiritual freedom, would be to convert 
obedience to one behest of duty into a monstrous violation 
of another and higher requirement. This consideration, 
however, by no means impairs the obligation to educational 
effort, though it lays an interdict upon one particular me- 
thod." 

"Men of all parties, from John Foster the Baptist, to Dr. 
Hook the vicar of Leeds, had for some time been uttering 
indignant protests against the quiescence of the State in the 
matter of general education, before the present government, 
feeling the anomaly thus pointed out, addressed themselves 
to the task of removing it. There is reason to suppose* 
that a disposition was not wanting to present the country 
with a good national system of secular education, but this 
was denounced by anticipation with the glib adjective, 
'godless;^ while, on the other hand, the intfoduction of 
doctrinal religion into such a system would have been in di- 
rect defiance of the large party who conscientiously object 
to State endowments of religion. The government, therc- 

* This su])position is founded upon a remarkable spoecli delivered by Lord 
Morpeth, at York, during the time of the agitation coiisctiuent on tlio issue of 
the minutes of the privy council on education. 



52 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S KEPORT. 

fore, saw no better means of bringing the national resources 
to bear upon national culture, than to hand over the public 
money in aid of local efforts, in certain proportion to the 
amounts raised by the local promoters. This arrangement, 
and certain provisions for official inspection of schools and 
award of salaries to pupil teachers, form, substantially, the 
plan of the ' minutes of council.' " 

" That no spiritual inierest is placed in peril by the adop- 
tion of a system of instruction which leaves doctrinal teach- 
ing to specially qualified spiritual functionaries is a fact not 
merely to be assumed in theory, but one which has been 
proved by actual experiment. On the testimony of M. 
Victor Cousin, accredited by Mr. Leonard Horner, a gentle- 
man known to Lancashire, we are assured that, in Holland, 
after thirty years of instruction on this principle, the people 
' are an honest and pious people ; and Christianity is rooted 
in the manners and creeds of the people.' And of America, 
where a system similar in this respect is adopted, we are as- 
sured, by Sir Charles Lyell, that 'the clergy are becoming 
more and more convinced that, where the education of the 
million has been carried furthest, the people are most regular 
in their attendance on public worship, most zealous in the 
defence of their theological opinions, and most liberal in 
contributing funds for the support of their pastors and the 
building of churches.' So that to expedite the spread of 
secular knowledge is a process not only not hostile, but 
largely helpful to the aims of the sects, even though the 
educational rate-fund be neither monopolized by one church 
nor shared by all. 

To this fact I allude, however, rather as a sedative for 
fears than as a stimulus to action. 

Extract of a Lecture before the same by Walter Fer- 
guson, Esq. 

" 1 have indicated the kind of education which is given in 

the common school of New England and New York. It is 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. g3 

unseciarian. Some persons in this country might be dis- 
posed to call it irreligious — godless; but in America its ten- 
dency is generally considered to be decidedly favorable to 
religion. This much is certain, that where the common 
school system is most developed, tliere places of worship 
most abound, and are best attended, and ministers, mission- 
aries, Bible and benevolent societies, are most liberally sup- 
ported. The most active promoters of common schools are 
religious men, not wanting in zeal for their respective theo- 
logical opinions, but who do not think that it is their duty to 
assist on those opinions being inculcated in schools to which 
believers in other dogmas contribute equally with them- 
selves. A liigh moral character is strictly insisted upon as 
the first and most indispensable qualification for a teacher, 
for the want of which no attainments, and no powers of 
communicating them, can atone ; but no creed test is used, 
and teachers are forbid to inculcate their peculiar religious 
views (whatever those may be) on the children. This pro- 
hibition is not found to prevent conscientious and zealous 
religionists from accepting the office of teacher ; and hav- 
ing once undertaken it, it would be deemed a breach of 
faith on their part did they attempt to proselytize the chil- 
dren.'"' 

Extract from a Lecture before the same by Rev. W. 
McKekrow. of Manchester, England. 
'■' It cannot fail, first of all, to strike every one who makes 
iiiquiry into the subject of congregational schools, that they 
exhibit a lamentable waste of money and efTort. There has 
been in general but little forethought and calculation evinced 
in their formation. They have sprung from impulsive feel- 
ing, and not from sound judgment. The factory education 
bill, to which we have referred, brought many of them has- 
tily into existence, and the late " Minutes of Council" have 
been the means of adding to their number. There seemed 



^4 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPOIIT. 

to be a kind of benevolent mania, prompting everywhere 
the erection of such schools ; and almost every Christian 
congregation that did not bestir itself to have one of them, 
was supposed by the zealous and sanguine to be indifferent 
to its duty and interest. But there being no considerate and 
kindly agreement amongst the sects, they have planted their 
educational establishments immediately adjoining their 
places of worship, or as near to them as possible. It has 
followed that in many quarters schools have been by far to 
closely crowded. Costly buildings, not a few, are to be 
seen almost within speaking distance of each other, where 
there is not a sufficient pop'.ilation of children to fill them. 
We find, for example, eight of them (exclusive of private 
schools) in one district of our city within the radius of little 
more than a quarter of a mile, and some of these almost in 
juxtaposition ; and four of them in another district, not 
more than two or three hundred yards apart. It is not to be 
wondered at, in these circumstances, that we should have 
empty rooms and dispirited teachers, as well as an unprofit- 
able investment of money and expenditure of labor. And 
not having arrived as yet at the niillenial period when the 
wolf shall dwell with the lamb, who can tell how much pro- 
perty may yet be rendered useless by the rivalship of sects ? 
We have heard it said that in various parts of the country 
Churchmen have waited to see where Dissenters would place 
their schools, and then, having allowed them to exhaust 
their resources, have commenced in their immediate vicinity 
an oppositional establishmerit ; and similar charges have 
been made by Churchmen against Dissenters. 

But another circumstance in connection with these church 
and chapel schools, which we must also consider, is, the un- 
certainty of their support and continuance. They commonly 
arise from some species of excitement which soon subsides ; 
they have not within them, nor in connexion with them, the 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. g5 

means of regular and constant sustenance and of perma- 
nency." 

Extract of a Lecture before the same association by Rev. 
Samuel Davidson, D. D. 

'•Still further, not only is it a matter of unavoidable expe- 
diency to keep away distinciive religious doctrine from the 
schools, because the plan CQuld not otherwise command itself 
to the sympathies of all. but it is better, both for the interests 
of religion and of secular education, that the separation in 
question should exist. 

It is better for religion that it should be dealt with in 
this method. It has always appeared to me that true religion 
has about it something so sacred and reverential as to demand 
a corresponding treatment. The Bible, claiming to be a di- 
vine book, should be read and explained with a veneration be- 
fitting its origin. It is difficult, however, if not impossible, to 
do this amid the noise of a daily school. There the sacred 
volume soon comes to be looked on by the scholars as an or- 
dinary book. It is associated with lessons, perhaps with dis- 
agreeable tasks that tax the memory. Insensibly, it may be 
and gradually, it takes its place virtually in the eyes of the 
pupils along with any other volume of varied contents. Amid 
the dust and drudgery of a common school, it does not long 
retain any hallowed association. It is put into the list of the 
lesson books, and comes round in the dull routine. Hence 
many carry away the most disagreeable recollections of it 
from the public school. Their memory associates it with feel- 
ings of irksomeness. They do not turn to it with pleasure in 
after life. They have a sort of aversion to it. Such is the 
effect of making the Bible an ordinary school book. The 
same observations will apply to the catechisms, which are em- 
ployed as embodying the distinctive principles of any religious 
denomination. It is not good, generally speaking, to make 
catechisms and confessions common books out of which lessons 
are repeated to a teacher in a day-school, unless one wish to 
5 



gg SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

run the risk of making them distasteful ever after, and so 
creating an aversion to religion, or at least to the formularies 
of it." 

" Everything, therefore, which helps a man to think, or as- 
sists in the development of his mental resources, is favorable 
to religion. The more an individual learns, the longer he re- 
flects, the better subject does he become for religious impres- 
sion and training. All science contributes to the progress of 
revealed truth. The advocates, therefore, of the latter, instead 
oi fearing, should welcome the triumphs of the former as illus- 
trating the operations of the same Almighty Being whose foot- 
steps are seen alike in nature and in revelation. If, then, the 
public schools which the plan of the Lancashire Association 
proposes be not directly religious — if the distinctive doctrines of 
one sect be not taught in them — they will at least be subser- 
vient to true religion. They will strengthen the mind, and 
thereby prepare it for the reception of Divine truth. They 
will help the pupil to trace God's laws in nature and providence? 
conducting him to a point where others may take him up and 
lead him into the ulterior region of sacred truth. Theoretical 
knowledge is good in itself. These schools propose to give a 
considerable amount of it. But in addition to that, they will 
seek to inculcate the immutable principles of justice, temper- 
ance, and the like, by holding up practical examples of them in 
history. They are meant to imbue the youthful mind with 
those moral maxims which Heat the foundation of all religion. 
Is not this sufficient ? The objector says no. You nujst have 
far more than this. You must have what I consider true re- 
ligion. But they are meant to be schools for all ; and true re- 
ligion means different things in the mouth of different profess- 
ing Christians. We cannot have the true religion of each 
sectary, and at the same time avoid infringing on the rights of 
conscience. We want to preserve those rights inviolate ; and 
to have all taught as far as practicable in the public schools." 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT.. g^ 

Extract of a Lecture before the same, by Rev. Francis 
Tucker, of Manchester. 

'• And now I ask the devoted Sunday school teacher, (a char- 
acter whom r love and honor,) whether a good secular educa- 
tion on the week day will not prepare for him more hopeful 
pupils on the Sabbath ? 1 ask him whether he would not gladly 
be spared the toil and drudgery of teaching the a b c of elemen- 
tary instruction ? I ask him whether, when his whole soul has 
panted to lead his scholars on at once to the highest themes of 
human contemplation, he has not often felt himself chained 
and fettered by their inaptitude to think, or even their inability 
to read ?" 

Extract from a Prize Essay by Rev. Edward Higginson, 
published by the Central Society of Education in Eng- 
land. 

" In no country does the mutual intolerance of religious sec- 
tarianism display itself more actively than in England. It 
mars almost every project of benevolence in which the co- 
operation of numbers is to be desired. Each little sect is 
more ready to insist upon the introduction of its own special- 
purposes into the plan, than to contribute to the general 
strength ; and the consequence commonly is, that each par- 
ty pursues its own distinct course apart from the rest, and 
what ought to be the general cause of philanthropy, be- 
comes in a great degree, the scene of contention and rivalry 
among opposing sects In nothing is this more lamentably 
apparent than in the matter of education. Let the Sunday 
schools of the different sects be carefully examined ; and we 
believe they will be generally found to be devoted rather to 
the inculcation of the peculiar theology of the sect, than to 
communication of Scriptural or general knowledge, or the 
cultivation of moral and devotional principles. Partisans, of 
whatever religious creed, deeming religion the highest branch 
of education, insist, and rightly enough, that no education 



gg SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

can be complete without it ; they only mistake in their ap- 
plication of this principle, when they severally insist upon 
their own distinctive doctrinal views as being essential to 
that religious education which they would have the young 
receive at school. Instead of being satisfied to instil those 
leading principles of morality, respecting which they all 
agree, and to cultivate those religious affections in the young 
which are essentially the same in all devotional hearts, what- 
ever be the particular class of doctrinal opinions to which 
they may afterwards attach themselves, the zealots of each 
party can see no sufficient religious education short of the in- 
culcation of their own peculiarities of doctrine ; and they ac- 
cordingly withdraw to separate educational methods, and 
endeavor to perpetuate in the young, whom they respectively 
claim as their-ovvn. a iiigher regard for their trivial distinc- 
tions of opinion, than for the great principles and greater hab- 
its of intrinsic piety and goodness. At this present moment, 
a religious cry is ready to break out against any attempt on 
the part of the State, to institute schools for the general in- 
struction of the people, which, if instituted by the State for 
the use of all, must, of course, abstain from espousing the 
religious peculiarities of any. The zealots of all religious 
parties are already agreeing among themselves, that ' educa- 
tion without religion' would be worse than no education at 
all ; and they feel convinced that any system proposed by the 
State would be an education without their own religious pe- 
culiarities. They know that any truly national plan must 
be free from the sectarianism of all sects whatever; and 
they do not perceive how it might be so, and yet be intrin- 
sically and beautifully religious. The zealous and the big- 
oted are almost always the leaders of each party ; while the 
timid and the indilferent, by simple acquiescence, give their 
numerical strength to the movements of the party, and the 
more enlightened and liberal too often hold aloof from the 
evidently useless conflict, in which their iberality of princi- 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPOHT. 09 

pie would be vulgarly denounced as heresy, and their mode- 
ration of spirit as a lack of zealfor God, 

Extract from a Prize Essay by Mrs. G. R. Porter, pub- 
lished by the same Society. 

"If an extensive system of education be advocated, dispas- 
sionate enquiry as to the best means of promoting the wished- 
for end, and sanguine hope as to the benefits which are to 
arise from such an undertaking, are immediately interrupted 
and disturbed by the question importunately asked — " What 
rehgion is to be taught ?" Parties soon lose sight of the en- 
nobling subject — the raising and improving of our species ; 
and forget themselves in angry invective and virulent accusa- 
tion ; giving melancholy proof that education has mdeed been 
hitherto wofully neglect d, since it has failed to subdue that 
exclusive and intolerant spirit, which thus mixes itself up with 
our better feelings, and would crush everything that is good 
and useful in our nature. Before wa enquire '• What rehgion 
is to be taught ?" we should ask " what is rehgion?" Does it 
consist in the belief of particular dogmas and creeds, or in 
that vital principle of the soul which purifies and exalts our 
nature and should be the prime mover of all our actions ? The 
religion of Christ, which teaches men to love each other as 
brethren — which should lead them to exercise mutual charity 
and forbearance, and to join together heart and soul in trans- 
mitting and diffusing its Divine blessings to future genera- 
tions by means of education — this religion is made the ostensi- 
ble motive for hostility and opposition, and for counteracting 
every endeavor which does not originate in the exclusiveness 
of sectarianism. Surely there must be some mistake here. 
Religion cannot be inimical to good. This cannot be religion. 
Let us then shake off its unworthy counterfeit, and let us in 
the holy spirit of genuine Christianity fairly enter upon the 
subject ; let us, if possible, dismiss all angry feelings, all root- 
ed prejudices, and institute a calm investigation as to the best 
manner of meeting and settling this great question." 



70 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

Extract from an address by Hiram Ketchum, Esq., (Presby- 
terian), before the American Bible Society. 

"You all know that it is an elementary principle of Ameri- 
can law, and the American Constitution, and of Americars 
hearts, that ihe government has no right to raise money by 
tax for the support of the Christian religion. And it is a great 
elementary principle in American law and American politics, 
and of all American concerns, that religion here is to be sup- 
ported by voluntary contributions. It is our glory, our joy, 
that religion with us is upheld by free hearts. Men may tax 
themselves, and I thank God ihey do tax themselves, for the 
support of religion; but the State has no right to lay a tax for 
this purpose. 

It follows of necessity that ihese schools, maintained by a 
tax raised by the State, are not nurseries for instruction in re- 
ligion. It is acknowledged in them : it is recognized by them- 
But the peculiar doctrines of any one sect must not be taught 
in schools supported by any moneys raised by a tax on the 
people. Hence, schools furnished by the State, provide for the 
education of the children, as common elementary schools, for 
instruction in the common branches of education, and no more. 
Religious instruction is left to the parents, to spiritual teachers^ 
to religious friends, and to Sabbath schools. But here, nc 
instruction is given in any doctrines peculiar to any denomi- 
nation of Christians." 

Extract from a Lecture upon the use of the Bible in common 
schools, by Rev. Heman Humphrey, D. D., President of 
Amherst College, delivered before the American Institute of 
Instruction, August, 1843. 

"There is, I am aware, in the minds of some warm and re- 
spectable friends of popular education, an objection against in- 
corporating religious instruction into the system, as one of its 
essential elements. It cannot, they think, be done without 
bringing in along with it the evils of sectarianism. If this ob- 
jection could not be obviated, it would, I confess, have great 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. ^1 

weight in my own mind. It supposes that if any religious in- 
struction is given, the distinctive tenets of some particular de- 
nomination must be inculcated. But is this at all necessary ? 
Must we either exclude religion altogether from our Common 
Schools, or teach some one of the various creeds which are 
embraced by as many different sects in the ecclesiastical cal- 
ender ? Surely not. There are certain great moral and re- 
ligious principles, in which all denominations are agreed, such 
as the ten commandments, our Saviour's golden rule, every 
thing, in short, which lies within the whole range of duty to 
God and duty to our fellow men. I should be glad to know 
what sectarianism there can be in a schoolmaster's teaching 
my children the first and second tables of the moral law — to 
"love the Lord their God with all their heart, and their neigh- 
bor as themselves" — in teaching them to keep the Sabbath 
holy, to honor their parents, not to swear, nor drink, nor lie, 
nor cheat, nor steal, nor covet. Yerily, if this is what any 
mean by sectarianism, then the more we have of it in our 
Common Schools, the better. 'It is a lamentation, and shall 
be for a lamentation,' that there is so little of it. I have not 
the least hesitation in saying, that no instructor, whether male 
or female, ought ever to be employed, who is not both able 
and willing to teach morality and religion in the manner 
which I have just alluded to. Were this faithfully done in all 
the primary schools of the nation, our civil and religious lib- 
erties, and all our blessed institutions, would be incomparably 
safer than ihey are now. The parent who says, I do not send 
my child to school to learn religion, but to be taught reading, 
and writing, and grammar, knows not "what manner of spirit 
he is of" It is very certain that such a father will teach his 
children anything but religion at home ; and is it right that 
they should be left to grow up as heathens in a Christian 
land ? If he says to the schoolmaster, I do not wish you to 
make my son an Episcopalian, a Baptist, a Presbyterian, or a 
Methodist, very well. This is not the schoolmaster's business. 
He was not hired to teach sectarianism. But if the parent 
means to say, I do not send my child to school to have you 



72 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

teach him to fear God, and keep his commandments, to be 
temperate, honest and true, to be a good son and a good man. 
then the child is to be pitied for having such a father ; and 
with good reason might we tremble for all that we hold most 
dear, if such remonstrances were to be multiplied and to pre- 
vail." 

Extracts from a Lecture delivered by Rev. John M'Caffrey, 
D.. D., President of Mount St. Mary's College, in St. Pat- 
rick's Hall, Philadelphia, Dec. 8th, 1852, being the first of 
a course of Lectures on Education. 

"If, at the present day, there be universal consent among 
men upon any point, it is in admitting the vast importance of 
education. All seem to agree that it is a question of deep 
concern to governments as well as individuals, and to men of 
all classes and in all the relations of life — to the farmer, me- 
chanic, and merchant, no less than the philosopher or states- 
man. But this wonderful harmony of minds may, in part, 
be accounted for by the vagueness of the term designating the 
thing about which all seem to b3 agreed. For education has 
no fixed meaning ; it may signify, for example, either the pro- 
cess of imparting knowledge and culture, or the knowledge 
and culture thus imparted : and, restricted to the latter sense, 
it may mean any amount of knowledge and culture, from the 
mere rudiments, reading, writing, and cyphering, up to the 
diversified and comprehensive attainments of thorough 
scholarship ; or, reaching beyond this to something infinitely 
higher and more important, it may include the formation of 
the moral and religious character, the training of the soul for 
everlasting happiness or misery." 

"Is it right then or is it wrong for the State to take out of 
your hands the business of education and attempt to manage 
it for the people, though always at the people's expense? 

It is not to be denied, that the State, or the whole commu- 
nity organized and acting through its constituted authorities, 
has a deep interest in the matter of education. True know- 
ledge is favorable to virtue : ignorance leaves a man more lia- 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S KEPORT. ^3 

ble to error and to vice. But there can be no greater fallacy 
than to argue, that bacaiise it concerns the State to have virtu- 
ous and enh'ghtencd citizens, therefore it is the duty of the 
public authorities to take upon themselves the task of making 
men enlightened and virtuous. Agriculture, Manufactures, 
<. ommerce, are all great public interests : must the government 
therefore instruct and form the farmer, the mechanic and the 
merchant? The press and the pulpit are both means of dif- 
fusing knowledge ; both may be employed with powerful 
effect in the cause of truth and morality. Are we then to 
stamp on our governments the features most repulsive to us in 
the monarchies of the old world ? 

I am not denying, that the State may encourage education 
and by various indirect means promote the diffusion of know- 
ledge and growth of virtue. I am only showing, that these 
are not the immediate ends of civil government and are not 
to be attained by legislative enactments, and expensive public 
institutions. The object of civil government is the protection 
of life, liberty and propcity. The constituted authorities, 
however appointed and by whatever name they are called, 
must hav'e power enough to render these secure, and not only 
may, but must do what is necessary for their security. The 
problem under all governments that pretend to be free, is this • 
how far must individual liberty be restricted for the public 
good — how much power must be vested in our rulers, that 
they may fulfil the purposes of their creation ? A nice and 
difficult problem and not so easily solved as our stump-ora- 
tors and newspaper editors would have us believe, nor to be 
decided everywhere alike. But who will venture to assert 
that the ends of government demand, that the parent be re-" 
stricted in the exercise of his right and duty in respect to the 
education of his children? Or who will seriously affirm, that 
the appointing of school-masters, the regulation of school-dis- 
cipline, the choice of books and determining the system of in- 
structiou. are among the powers i.eccssarily entrusted to our 
political rulers? And if not necessary to the ends of govern- 



74 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

ment, tlien the assumption of a power, which rudely touches 
the most sacred relation and violates the holy rights of a pa- 
rent, is manifestly a wicked and odious tyranny. It is no ex- 
tenuation of its guilt to say, that it is assumed and exercised 
only for the good of both parent and child. That, as we shall 
see, is at least a question." 

"Compulsory attendance on the established course of in- 
struction is the inevitable logical conclusion from the premises 
assumed in the theory of education by the State. And will 
not consistency require this stern logic to be carried out here 
as elsewhere? It has been proposed in various parts of the 
country, and practically tried at least in one, to send the con- 
stable on the singular errand of catching children and drag- 
ging them to school." 

"But compulsory education is a tyranny too gross and 
flagrant to excite any serious alarm. It will not be introduc- 
ed ; it would not be submitted to. It is impracticable while 
the great principles of common law are retained, while civil 
lights are recognized and government is not an absolute des- 
potism. I can understand a House of Refuge, or Correction, 
to which juvenile delinquents are sent for punishment, or re- 
form, after conviction ; but what are we to think of a Free 
School, which is at the same time, a prison — its pupils picked 
up by the police — the blessings of education forced on the un- 
willing urchins, their parents equally unwilling, by the tender 
mercies of the constabulary and other city authorities or digni- 
taries of the State ! ! ! 

There is another logical conclusion implied in the theory 
of State education, to which men shut their eyes because it is 
either unpalatable or unpopular. Still it is there, and you 
must either give up your own conclusion by denying those 
premises, or take this too along with them. For if it is the 
office of the State to educate, because it is her highest interest 
to have enlightened and virtuous citizens, then religion which 
undertakes directly to enlighten and guide the consciences of 
men, and, when necessary, to reform their morals, is a still 
more important concern to her and better entitled to her pat- 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S EEPORT. ^^ 

ronage than any school system : and the Church is the proper 
dispenser of her bounties and minister of her benevolent 
wishes. Do you maintain that the school-house is a better 
instructor and a truer friend to morals, than the sanctuary and 
the pulpit : then you stand an avowed infidel. If you do not, 
be consistent and call for an established Church with its regu- 
lar endowments, glebes, tithes, advowsons, livings, parsonages 
—all !" 

"When education was their own concern, they kept the 
school-house open from six to twelve months : the State sala- 
ries the teacher two, three or five months only in the year. His 
competency, moral fitness and fidelity were then a question 
for themselves : they are now relieved from all consideration 
on the subject. Then the field was fairly open to competition, 
and superior merit in the teacher was rewarded with more 
extensive patronage : his remuneration in fact depended on 
his ability and success. These were elements of freedom in 
harmony with all our other institutions ; and while the old 
system was, like everything else, liable to objections and abus- 
es, it was also susceptible of improvement : it was in fact con- 
tinually improving: and the responsibility and the remedy 
were always in the right hands, — in the sense of duty, the en- 
lightened self-interest and affections of the parent. But all 
this is regulated by authority now, and the parent has no in- 
fluence, no responsibility and no choice : he must either send 
his children to the duly commissioned teacher, whatever his 
demerits or offences, or keep them at home and feel, that he is 
defrauded and they are wronged by the misguided policy of 
the State. More individuals may learn to read aud write : 
but in rural districts generally there is less interest, less care 
and solicitude about a proper education and ihe proper ineans 
of securing it, because it is no longer the business of the 
parent, but of the State, or those whom it appoints." 

'■I return to the great question, whether the State has the 
right to take upon itself the office of instruction. If it does 

assume that office, what, I ask, is to be its course in relation 

to the great concern of religion ? Shall it introduce it into the 



76 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

Academy and School-room or shut it out altogether? If it 
talce tlie former alternative, we have so far a State religion ; if 
the latter, the education wants what we and the great majority 
of our fellow-citizens hold to be an essential element : it is un- 
christian, Godless! In a community made up of men pro- 
fessing every variety of creed, from the lowest Deism, Panthe- 
ism, and Atheism, up to the fullest Christian orthodoxy, what 
religion shall the government select as the subject of its teach- 
ing? Shall it be the doctrines held by any one denomination 
of Christians ? By what right is the Jew or infidel excluded 
from the benefit of the common schools? He too is a citizen ; 
his property is taxed and his religious liberty is guaranteed by 
the fundamental law." 

"To repel the charge of sectarianism, the directors and ad- 
vocates of the common school system may repeat what has 
often been alleged, that the points of doctrinal agreement 
among Christians shall be the only articles inculcated in the 
public schools. Points of agreement among Christians ! Jews 
and infidels are then disfranchised ; they are at least ignored 
in practice, though the system in theory is made for all." 

"A government, whi'^h professes to protect all men alike in 
the full enjoyment of the most perfect liberty of conscience, 
and which is forbidden by the fundamental law either to es- 
tablish or favor any one form of belief and worship more than 
any other, cannot exercise the office of teaching religion. 
To require even the reading of the Bible is so far to patronize 
one system of religious notions in opposition to another. It is 
sectarianism of the meanest and most odious kind ; because it 
is practically a combination of all the sects, who agree in noth- 
ing else, to drive us Catholics from the public schools or force 
us to violate our consciences." 

"It is an important question, as I have endeavored to show 
you even in its purely political aspect. The wisest men and 
farthest-seeing patriots will in this matter incline to limit rath- 
er than enlarge the authority of the State. A tendency to- 
wards centralization, a disposition to remit the burdens and 
duties of life to the paternal care of government, is not a symp- 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. >jij 

torn of liberty, but of despotism. As population becomes more 
crowded and society more corrupt, (and no man can deny 
that corruption and crime are in this country advancing faster 
even than population,) as the disorders of the body politic be- 
come more alarming, the public authorities must necessarilly 
be armed with greater power or exercise more freely the pow- 
ers they have already. The rights and immunities of the 
citizens will grow less as the government grows stronger. Is 
it prudent then for a friend of freedom to put in the hands of 
the civil authority so potent an instrument as the absolute con- 
trol ot education ? Should parents abdicate iheir rights and 
citizens their liberty for such a purpose ? It may be very well 
f)r a monarchy relying on a standing army for security and 
stability, to take under its paternal charge the Church, the 
press, the university and the school-house. But is it not a 
strange spectacle under the sun, when a free people, not of 
necessity, but of choice, devolve a most sacred private duty 
upon public authority, and voluntarily divest themselves of a 
right so dear, — an interest so important as that of freely edu- 
cating their own children 1" 

''It was one of Louis Philippe's deadliest sins against social 
order and the rights of conscience, one of the crimes, by which 
he merited his dethronement and exile, that he upheld an 
atheistical university in its monopoly of education and in its 
unwearied labors to dilfuse, by its false teachings, the poison 
of infidelity through all the veins and arteries of youthful 
France." 

Extract from an Essay on Denominational Schools in the 
Pennsylvania School Journal, by Elias Schneider. 

"A distribution of the school fund among our religious de- 
nominations would, of course, if properly done, have to be 
made according to the numerical strength, and the number of 
children, in their schools. The officers of the State would 
therefore need a yearly census before this fund could be equi- 
tably apportioned. Now how would such a census be made 7 



78 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 

Would it include only the children of the diflerent religious 
denominations, or as many more as each denomination could 
induce to enter its schools from those whose parents make no 
profession of religion ? Suppose the latter. Look then for a 
moment at the consequences. Each religious body would of 
course make its utmost exertions to outstrip the others in ef- 
forts to ac([uire strength from those having no religious con- 
nection. Hence would follow jealousies and even hatred from 
members of one religious sect against those of another, grow- 
ing always in vehemency as one sect might be outstriped or 
over-reached by the others. And nothing could operate more 
seriously against genuine religion than such an unhappy state 
of things. 

But it must not be supposed that all those \vho make no 
profession of religion, would be willing to send their children 
to schools over which they could not be allowed to have any 
control. Being wholly denominational in their character, the 
voice of none could be regarded in what related to their man- 
agement, except those who belonged to these denominations. 
There would be a necessity, then, of assigning also a just 
portion of the school fund to those having no religious connec- 
tion. For, being taxed alike with the rest, their claim upon 
this fund would be as just as that of any other body of men, 
and their separate schools would be equally entitled to sup- 
port." 

"In regard to the last position, a few remarks must suffice. 
There are some sects in our country, who call themselves re- 
ligious bodies, but who advocate and openly practice what is 
contrary to ordinary morality. Among these may be men- 
tioned one, which advocates and practices polygamy. This 
sect, it seems, increases with no ordinary additions to its num- 
ber every year. It would have an equally just claim upon its 
portion of the school fund, if a distribution were made. And 
in assigning its share of this money, the State would be virtu- 
ally encouraging a doctrine not only in favor of immorality, 
but in violation of statute law, and the sect would thus use 
this money to increase its power to do evil. 



SCHOOL COMMISSIOJJER'S REPORT. 79 

Suppose the present school system were aboHshed, as it ac- 
tually would be if the school fund were distributed among our 
different denominations, would it not also bring about a total 
destruction of all schools in the rural districts?" 

Extract from the speech of Rev. Dr. Bond, (Methodist) before 
the Common Council of New York city, October, 1840, up- 
on the application of the Roman Catholics for an allowance 
from the public school money for their separate schools. 
"But it is alleged that we are here to oppose Roman Catho- 
lics. Sir, we would oppose the Methodists if the same appli- 
cation was made by them. I would have stood here myself to 
oppose them, fori do not fear nor dodge any responsibility. 
We believe that all mankind are individually undergoing a 
moral and intellectual probation before God ; and that we can- 
not, without incurring the divine displeasure, substitute this 
probationary relation, by one before any man, or any num- 
ber of men, whether Pope or Council, or the Methodist Gen- 
eral Conference. None of these can release us from our ob- 
ligations as probationers before God. "To our own master 
we stand or fall." If the Methodist Episcopal Church had 
issued her mandate to me not to appear before this body, and 
not to oppose this application, I would have set her au" 
thority at naught. We believe that these Public Schools 
are necessary to our form of government ; that it is not safe 
to commit the preservation and perpetuation of the public 
liberty and of our civil institutions to an ignorant, untaught 
multitude, to those who will be incapable of appreciating 
their value, or who may be made the dupes of better educa- 
ted but more wicked men. We say it is necessary to the 
perpetuation of public liberty that the community be educa- 
ted — that all who exercise the elective franchise, should be 
taught to value our civil institutions. But we say that no 
sectarian body can do this ; it must be done by all together. 
If you were to give all this money to the sects, it could not 
be done — it can only be done by a common system, for if 



80 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S EEPORT. 

all the sects had this money divided amongst them, there is 
one half of the community who would not sutfer their chil- 
dren to be taught by them. What then is to become of 
these children ? Our public liberties demand a public uni- 
versal system of education, and this can only be effected by 
agents appointed by the State, and answerable to the State ; 
it can never be done if the money be given to any denomi- 
nation, or divided among all the sects. Sir, we allege this 
is the broad principle on which the Common Schools are es- 
tablished ; take this away, and you have no right to lay a 
tax at all ; you could not lay a tax with any justice for this 
purpose. If the money is to be distributed among the dif- 
ferent sects and denominations of christians, and they are to 
use it as they think best, even for their own proselyting pur- 
poses — I speak of no particular denomination — all have their 
preferences and peculiar tenets, and all desire to make con- 
verts to their belief — I say give the money to this end, and 
what follows? Why, that you ought to tax them severally 
according to what they receive. What right have you to 
tax Roman Catholics for the support of Methodist Schools? 
or what right have you to tax Methodists for the support of 
Presbyterian Schools ? In short, what right have you to 
tax any sect for the support of the Schools of rival sects ? 
You have first to ascertain what each requires to support the 
schools under their care, and then to tax that denomination 
to the necessary amount. You have no right to tax me as 
a Methodist, for the Roman Catholic Schools but only on 
the ground that education is necessary for the preservation 
of our public liberties and for the public safety." 

Extracts from an article on education in the Westminster 
Review for July, 1851. 

''Upon the second question — The mode of impartmg re- 
ligious instruction, the friends of secular schools lay down 
two positions : — that the schoolmaster is not the person best 



SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 



'81 



fitted for religious teaching ; and that it is not wise to delay 
thi} acquisition of elementary knowledge until all sects are 
agreed upon the precise forms and points of doctrine which 
should be superadded. 

The misconceptions that exist on this part of our subject 
are more numerous than upon any other; and they are ex- 
traordinary ; for, on examination, it will be found that the 
separation of religious from secular instruction, especially as 
regards credal theology, is not a novel theory, but the rule 
rather than the exception of the existing system. The reli- 
gious instruction now imparted to the children of the work- 
ing classes is almost exclusively confined to *S'//.;u/a?/ schools, 
with which no one proposes to interfere ] and in Sunday 
schools the teachers are not the masters of common day 
schools, but the zealous junior members of a religious con- 
gregation, assisted by the minister." 

"In infant schools, where the requirements of secular in- 
struction are less urgent, religion is made a leading feature 
. of the system ; but here, again, we may remark that the in- 
fant school system does not include credal theology. From 
the majority of infant schools catechisms are excluded." 

"The best schools, whether in England or on the Conti- 
nent, are those in which this division of labor is carried to 
the greatest extent. The worst are those in which some 
half-educated broken-down tradesman undertakes to teach 
everything, and to act in the double capacity of schoolmas- 
ter and divine. 

It is not for want of schools, nor for want of schools in 
which religion is nominally taught, that the working peo- 
ple of this country form neither an instructed nor a reli- 
gious population ; but from the too great preponderance of 
schools of the latter class. So much is thrown upon a nar- 
row capacity, that nothing is effectually accomi)lished. Boys 
leave a charity school at fourteen, often without the ability 
6 



32 SCHOOL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT; 

to make out a grocer's bill, and without a sentiment con- 
nected with religion beyond that of the weariness of an un- 
sopportable task. Prison Inspectors report, that among the 
juvenile delinquents at Parkhurst, and other prisons, there 
are lads of fifteen — a dozen times committed for as many 
different offences — as well versed in the Catechism and Lit- 
urgy as any membar of the bench of Bishops. Of what 
avail can be religion if it be degraded into a mere exercise 
of memory? Batter, surely, no teaching of religion than 
such modes of teaching it as reach neither the heart nor un- 
derstanding, and end in practical infidelity. 

It is for the interest of religion, that in every branch of 
education proper regard should be had to the division of la- 
bor, and the division of time. It is injurious to religion to 
attempt to reconcile incompatibilities. Arithmetic is one 
subject ; theology is another. Both are b?st taught separate- 
ly, and at seasons separately appropriate to each ; for "to every 
thing there is a season, and a Lime to every purpose under 
heaven." It is an awful experiment, fraught with a moral 
danger no one can adequately estimate — a danger involving 
the confounding together in the mind of all distinctions be- 
tween formal conventionalities and sincere piety, to attempt 
amidst the uproar of a school-room, to call off the attention 
of a child from a sum in the Rule of Three,* or a fault iu 
grammar, to questions of God and eternity. 

The beau ideal of religious instruction, would be that of a 

*In a -work on 'Elementary Arithraetic/ published by a former Secretary of 
the National School Society (the Rev. J. C. Wigram), the subject was illus- 
trated by questions of the following tenor : — 

"The Children of Israel were sadly given to idolatry, notwithstanding all they 
knew of God. Moses was obliged to have 3,000 men put to death for this griev- 
ous sin. AVhatdigits would you u^e to express this number 1 

"Of Jacob's four wives, Leah had six sons, Rachel had two, Billah had two, 
and Zillah had also two. How many sons had Jacob ?" 

We quote these as an example of that Mse system of congruitics wliich we de- 
precate, and which cannot be too earnestly condemned by religious mindedmen ; 
but it is gratifying to be able to note that better counsels are now beginning to 
prevail in the "National S?hool Society, and that tlie work from which ths abov>», 
^c takcn.is now laid asids in roost of their sshoals. 



SCHOOL COMmSSIONER'S REPORT. 



83. 



s:hool suppiiod with eflici^nt teachers for all mecliaiiical, 
moral, and intellectual processes; each teaclnr restricted to 
the one department for which he might be the best fitted ; 
a:id thi teacher of religion, a man such as Goldsmith's "Vi- 
car of Wakefi3ld," — one to win the affections of youth ; as- 
sembling a class for conversational lessons on God's provi- 
dence, in a room apart, free from all din and tumult, and 
the intrusion of less solemn associations. There are schools 
in which this beau ideal is realized. Among them some un- 
der the superintendence of the present Dean of Hereford, 
Mr, Dawes. Tiiat they are not more numerous is to be la- 
mented." 

Persons wishing to enquire further into this subject may 
consult New Etiglander for April, 1S48. 

Horac3 Mann's 12ih Report on Schools of Massachusetts.. 

Dr. Ryerson's Reports on Canada Schools for ISol and 
1652. 

Correspondence between Dr. Ryerson and Catholic Bishop 
of Toronto. 

Correspondence between Horace Mann and Rev. M. H. 
Smith. 

Reports of Presbyterian Board of Education. 

Willm's Treatise on Education, 67, 92, i32, and preface 
60. 

Debate before the Common Council of New York, on the 
petition of the Catholics for a portion of the school fund for 
their own Schools. 

Princeton Review, July, 1846. 

Metropolitan Reviev.'- for March, 1853, published at Balti- 
more. 

Various articles in the Reviews. 



NoTR. — The Educational Magazine is published by Sayles, Mil- 
r..ER 4* SiJiON?, at ProviJence, R. 1. Price 50 cents per annum, pay- 
able in advance All communications should be addressed, postpaid,, 
to E. R. POTTER, at Providence, or at Kingston, E. L. 



INDEX. 
Report, - - - 1 

Deaf and Dumb, - - - - 2 

Blind, - - - - - 3 

Idiots and Imbeciles, - - - - 3 

Educational Magazine, - - - - 4 

Normal School, - - - - -5 

Teachers' meetings and qualifications, - 6 

Colleges and their place in an educational system, - 14 

Objections to education considered, - - - 17 

Fundamental principles of a public system - - 21 

Prayer and Religious Exercises in Schools. - - 28 

StatisticalTables. - - - 33—34—35 

Appendix : 

No. I. Relation of Schools arid Colleges. 
Extract from Report of Prof. Andrews, - - 37 — 4S 

Prof. Lewis' Thoughts on College Education, - 48 — 53 

No. II. Decisions on construction of School Law, 
Use of School Houses for other purposes than schools, 54 — 56 

Making fires in school, ... 56 — 5S 

No. III. Religious Exercises in Schools. 
Kxtracts giving opinions of various writersand speakers 59 — 83 



REPORT 



UPON 



PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION, 



IN THE 



STATE OF EHODE ISLAND ; 



MADE TO THE LEGISLATURE, JANUARY, 



1854. 



BY E. R. POTTER, 

Commissioner of Public Schools. 



"It is vain to say that questions of religion and politics arc above the under- 
standing of the poorer classes : they are not above their misunderstanding, and 
they will think and talk about them," &c. — ^Dr. Abnoli>. 



PROVIDENCE: 

SAYLES, MILLER & SIMONS, STATE PRINTERS. 

185 4. 



CONTENTS. 



Report of Commissioner of Public Schools, January, 1854. Page 1 

" Deaf and Dumb, Blind, &c., . . .5 

" ZTormal Scbool, .... 7 

" Legislation and Litigation, . . .8 

" Unifomuty of Books, ... 9 

" Sectarianism in School-books, . . .11 

" Schools in Country Districts, . . . 11 

" Truancy, . . . . .14 

« The State and Education, ... 16 

Appendix to Report. 

No. 1. Statistical Tables, . . . .19 

No. 2. Public Schools and Religious Education. Extracts from Ad- 
dress of Thomas H. Burrows. Dr. Chalmers. Church's 
Letter to Cobden. Wm. C. Taylor, LL. D. Robert 
Vaughn, D. D. Prof. Nicoll, of Glasgow. Willm on the 
Education of the People. Dr. Hook, Vicar of Leeds. 
Siljistrom on Education in the United States. Westmins- 
ter Review. Massachusetts Common School Journal. Dr. 
Channing. Dr. Bushnell. Westminster Review. New 
Englander. Dr. Van Rensselear, Secretary of Presb)'te- 
rian Board of Education. ... 22 

No. 3. The state and Education. Extent to which the State should 
support Public Schools and compel attendance on them. 
Extracts from Robert Vaughn, D. D. Baines. H. Spen- 
cer. E. R. Potter's Historical Address. Rowland G. 
Hazard's Addresses. Guizot, . . 67 

No. 4. Objections to Education Answered. Extracts from Potter 
& Emerson, School and School Master ; and from Prof. 
NicoU's Preface to Willm's, . . .78 

No. 5. Importance of Female Education. Views of Dymond and 

Geo. Combe, .... 85 

No. 6. Physical Education and Insanity, . . .88 

No. 7. Reform School, . . . . 97 



No. 8 School, and other Libraries in the State. 

No. 9. Law of domicil or residence in relation to voting. 

No. 10. Importance of directing attention to the arts of design as a means 
of improving public taste, furnishing employment, and increas- 
ing National wealth. Extracts from Prof. Mapes, Thomas A. 
Tefft, &c. 

No. 11. Catalogue of Books for selection for school, village and family 
libraries. 



ERRATA. 

In Table No. 1, page 19, the footing of the column of Total Resour- 
ces should be . . . . . 125,004 70 
Expense for Instruction, .... 115,081 00 
Expense for School Houses, .... 21,901 62 
Voted this year, .... 24,021 32 
Town of Richmond — Expended for Instruction, should be, . 821 18 
" Warwick " " " . 2,994 08 
In Table No. 2, page 20, the footing of the column of Total Scholars, 

should be, ..... 25,905 00 

In Table No. 3, page 21, the feeting of column of "VNTiole No. Schol- 
ars, should be, .... 25,905 00 
Page 35, line 2 from top, for western read Westminster. 
" line 10 from bottom, for whether read Whether. 
Page 68, in 2d line of Extract from Herbert Spencer, for the read other. 



REPORT. 



To the Honorable General Assembly : 

January Session, A. D. 1854. 

The Commissioner of Public Schools herewith presents the 
annual abstract of the statistics of the Public Schools of the 
State. 

He would renew the suggestion made in a former report as 
to the necessity of a revision of the general tax law. As school 
taxes are collected according to the general law, and this is 
in many respects ambiguous and deficient, a good law is ab- 
solutely necessary to the peace of the school districts. Town 
taxes are seldom resisted, partly because they are smaller in 
amount, and partly from the habit of paying them. But school 
taxes are often contested, and the present lawjeaves an am- 
ple field open for litigation. 

He would also respectfully urge upon the attention of the 
Legislature another suggestion before made. It is believed 
that the present condition of the finances of the State would 
Justify a large addition to the annual State appropriation for 
Schools. 

DEAF AND DUMB. 

The following are the names of the persons who have re- 
ceived the benefit of the the appropriation from its commence- 
ment : 

Age. 
when adm. Entered. Left. 

Fanny Lanphear, Hopkinton, 26, May, 1845, May, 1846. 

Abigal Slocum, Portsmouth, 25, May, 1845, May, 1847. 

Peleg Slocum, Portsmouth, 20, May, 1845, May, 1847- 

Mary E. Slocum, Portsmouth, 14, May, 1845, May, 1847. 

James Budlong, Warwick, 20, Aug,, 1845, May, 1847 



Charles H. Steere, Glocester, 15, May, 1846, xMay, 1850. 

Phebe A. VVinsor, Johnston, 8, May, 1846, April, 1852. 

John W. Davenport, Tiverton, 13, May, 1847, Aug., 1853. 

Samuel W. Thompson, Glocester, II, May, 1847, April, 1853. 

Mercy E. Tanner, Coventry, 10, May, 1847, April, 1852. 

Minerva Mowry, Smithfield, 13, May, 1848, May, 1851, 

Samuel G. Greene, Hopkinton, 11, July, 1849, Aug., 1851. 

George Gavit, Westerly, iO, May, 1850. 

Wm. E. Slocum, Cumberland, Sept., 1852. 

Agnes McLaughlin North Prov., Sept., 1852. 

Mary E. Wilber, Little Comp., Sept., 1852. 

The orders on the Treasury for their support have been — 
1853, April 1, ^300 00 

" Oct. 1 0, 250 00 

The beneficiaries of this State have been sent to the 
" American Asylum at Hartford, for the Education and In- 
struction of the Deaf and Dumb." The lime for admission 
of pupils is the third Wednesday of September in every year. 
The charge is $100 per annum. In case of sickness, extra 
charges are made. Persons applying for admission must be 
between the ages of eight and twenty-five years ; must be of 
good natural intellect, capable of forming and joining letters 
with a pen legibly and correctly; free from immoralities of 
conduct and from contagious disease. The charge for board 
includes washing, fuel, lights, stationery and tuition. No de- 
ductions are made for absence, except on account of sickness. 

THE BLIND. 

The following persons have received the benefit of our State 
appropriation for the blind :— 

Entered. Left. 

William Hatch, Bristol, January, 1S45, 

Oliver Caswell, Jamestown, January, 1845, January, 1851. 

Elizabeth Eddy, Warren, " 1845, " 1848. 

Charles Coddington, Newport, March, 1846, May, 1853. 

Maria Dunham, Newport, " 1846, "' " 

Marcia Thurber, Providence, June, 1846, June, 1847. 

Alexander Kenyon, S. Kingstown, October, 1847. 

Wm. Tallowfield, Providence, Nov. 1849, Nov. 1950. 

James H. Graham, Newport, May, 1850. 

Elizabeth Dennely, S. Kingstown, October. 1851. 

Lucy Ross, N. Prov. Dec. 1852. 

The orders on the Treasury for their support have been — 

1853, Nov. 19, |400 00 



The beneficiaries of this State have been sent to the Per- 
kins Institution and Massachusetts Asyhim for the Bhnd, at 
Boston. The charge at that Institution is ,$160 per annum, 
which covers board, washing, medicine, use of books, musical 
instruments, and all expenses except clothing and travelling 
expenses. Pupils must be under fifteen when admitted, and 
of good character ; free from epilepsy or any contagious dis- 
ease ; and the friends of the applicant are required to answer 
certain queries respecting his age, and the cause and degree of 
his blindness, and to furnish an obligation that when dis- 
charged he shall be removed without expense to the Institu- 
tion. If possible, pupils should be taught the letters before 
going to the Institution. Books in raised letters for the blind 
can be procured there. 

IDIOTS. 

The orders on the Treasury for the education of idiots and 
imbeciles have been — 

1853, June 16, to Dr. Geo. Browne, of Barre, $100 00 

" July to Dr. S. G. Howe, of South Boston, 284 45 
For admission to the Massachusetts School, at South Bos- 
ton, it is recommended that they be between the ages of six 
and twelve ; not epileptic, insane, or incurably hydrocephalic 
or paralytic. The parents are required to provide clothing, 
and to give surety that the pupil when discharged shall be 
removed without expense to the institution. Pupils are^ at 
first taken for one month on trial. The terms for beneficia- 
ries for board and tuition, are generally $150 per annum, but 
vary somewhat according to the condition of the pupil. 

NORMAL SCHOOL. 

In my last Report I referred to the private Normal School, 
established in the City of Providence. The Instructors in this 
school are, Messrs. Greene, Colburn, and Sumner, with the 
assistance of Prof. Guyot, in Physical Geography. They are 
all excellent in their several departments, and there are few 
institutions in the country where Teachers can have as good 
instruction. 



8 

This institution is worthy of support, and if the assistance 
of the Legislature be necessary to its continuance I would 
recommend that it should be given. 

LEGISLATION AND LITIGATION. 

It is believed that the school law has to a considerable ex- 
tent effected one of its great purposes — the prevention of liti- 
gation in relation to school business. If every disputable mat- 
ter for the last ten years had been carried before the courts, 
the expense, delay, trouble, and the ill temper growing out of 
long lawsuits, would have been serious obstacles in the way 
of establishing a good system. 

One provision in the new law will probably tend still more 
to prevent litigation. By section G6 it was provided that no 
proceeding relating to ordering or assessing a school tax, if 
not appealed from, or if on appeal confirmed by the Commis- 
sioner, should afterwards be questioned in any court whatever. 

By this section a large source of lawsuits is at once cut off, 
and at the same time there is ample opportunity for redress in 
case of real injustice, as incase the Commissioner either refused 
or declined to grant the redress sought for, the General As- 
sembly might authorize a trial before a proper court. And it 
is better that the General Assembly should occasionally in- 
terfere, when necessary to prevent injustice, than that the 
whole subject should be thrown open to continual agitation. 

It is perhaps almost impossible so to draft a law as to pro- 
vide for all cases, and to make the rights and duties of parties 
so plain as to prevent litigation. Few but those who have 
been taught by experience and frequent failure, knew the dif- 
ficulty of drafting a good law upon any subject. There are a 
variety of questions to be considered in every case. Old cus- 
toms and institutions are to be consulted. Great care is ne- 
cessary in considering how far the new statute conflicts with 
or alters former laws. And so great is the variety of circum- 
stances constantly arising in a civilized and progressive socie- 
ty, that in making a law which we think perfectly just for 
one class of cases, we afterwards find we have been doing in- 
justice in another class of cases which did not happen to oc- 



cur to the Legislature. And such are the defects of language 
that the legislator often fails of carrying out his clearly under- 
stood intention. 

So the present school law undoubtedly has its defects and 
ambiguities. Although the present Commissioner and sever- 
al committees of the Legislature were for three years engaged 
in revising it and suggesting amendments and improvements, 
it is still no doubt imperfect. Many complain of its length. 
Yet while the law was before the Legislature, individuals were 
continually pressing to have their own particular cases spe- 
cially provided for in it. 

UNIFORMITY OF BOOKS. 

Questions are constantly arising as to the books proper to 
be used in schools, and as the present Commissioner has al- 
ways endeavored to abstain from interfering with this subject, 
he thinks proper to give some of his reasons for so doing. 

In a large school a uniformity of books is almost absolutely 
necessary, as without complete classification the small num- 
ber of teachers generally employed could not properly attend 
to the recitations. 

But even here an occasional change of books is not without 
its advantage. Novelty has its interest for both teachers and 
pupils. A new book containing seme diiferent mode of ex- 
plaining an old subject, contributes to forming habits of inves- 
tigation and to the thorough understanding of a question. It 
is true that if the teacher were what in theory he should be, if 
he fully understood a subject in all its bearings, could exhibit 
it to his pupils in all its different lights and aid them in un- 
ravelling its intricacies, it would matter little what text book 
was used. Such a teacher could supply all deficiencies. But 
many of our teachers are imperfectly educated, and this will 
probably always be the case. And as things are, pupils must 
sometimes have recourse to consulting many different books 
upon the same subject, for that variety and comprehensive- 
ness of view which the teacher fails to impart. 

But while uniformity in districts or towns has its advanta- 
ges, there are serious objections to it when attempted on a 



10 

larger scale, for instance throughout a state. It would par- 
take too much of the character of a monopoly. It would be 
a serious obstacle to improvement in text books. And it would 
put it in the power of those, whose views on any question of 
morals were in the ascendancy, to inculcate them upon the 
young through the medium of the reading lessons, the studies 
of history and philosophy, and other exercises in schools, and 
often, perhaps, without a suspicion of such an intention. 

But these are not the only objections. If one set of books 
is to be adopted or recommended for an entire State, it must 
probably be done through a Board of Examiners, appointed to 
look into the different books in use or offered, and to select 
those they deem the best. Now while school books are as 
profitable to their publishers as now, while a successful school 
book makes the fortune of its author and publishers, no exer- 
tions on their part would be spared to secure the monopoly of 
a State. The mere recommendation of such a State Board 
without any compulsory adoption, would be worth a large sum 
to any author. Intrigue would be at work in the selection of 
such a Board. And members of it who would not be access- 
ible to bribery, might still be influenced in various other ways. 
And when a book was adopted the efforts of all other publish- 
ers, their influence with teachers, school officers, &c., would 
at once be directed to procure a change. 

Some of these difliculties and objections to State uniformity 
are not entirely speculative. They have already been expe- 
rienced in other States. 

In regard to changes, in towns or districts, the suggestion 
of prudence and good sense would seem to be, that they should 
not be made hastily nor without full consideration. And this 
applies especially where the books now used have been adopt- 
ed after a full examination. In such a case a change should 
not be lightly made. And when made, it should be so man- 
,aged as to be as little burdensome and expensive to the parents 
as possible. Good terms could almost always be secured by 
proper exertions from the publishers. 

New books will continue to be published as long as they arc 



11 

profitable. They are the natural product of the present ex- 
citement, of the interest generally felt in this country for the 
improvement of the schools. With the great amount of good, 
we must expect there will be a little quackery and humbug.* 

There is one thing, however, which should never be forgot- 
ten or overlooked in selecting the books for our schools. Every 
book should be promptly rejected which contains any reflec- 
tions upon any religious sect, or upon any political party, cal- 
culated to misrepresent their views, or injure their feelings. 
This is not only the rule dictated by a sense of justice and 
propriety, but it is the only way in which we can avoid serious 
difficulty and embarrassment in the management of the 
schools. 

SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS OF DESIGN. 

Since the last Annual Report, a movement has been made 
in the city of Providence, for the establishment of a school for 
the Arts of Design, a full account of which will be given in 
the appendix. 

SCHOOLS IN COUNTRY DISTRICTS. 

It is very desirable that something should be done to im- 
prove the condition of the schools in those districts which have 
no villages within their boundaries, which are entirely agri- 
cultural. There are many portions of our state where the 
land is very poor, and rough, where of course the population is 
thin, and in a district of very large surface it is difficult to get 
a school of more than a dozen pupils. As the school money 
is divided by population and attendance, of course these thin- 
ly populated towns and districts draw but little money, and 
can have a school but for a small portion of the year ; while 
to keep a good school in such a district, requires nearly as 
much money as for a district of four times the number of 
scholars. This is the situation of many towns and districts 

* For some very severe criticisms on the manner in which too many educational 
works are made up for sale and profit, see the Southern Quarterly Review for Jan- 
uary, 1854. For statements as to the profits made by the authors and publishers 
of various books, see the very able Essays of Henry C. Carey against intemationai 
copyright. 



12 

in the State, and if the wisdom of Ihe Legislature or the phi- 
lanthropy of private citizens can devise any means to aid 
them, it is a subject well worihy their attention. 

fn many of the country towns the first step towards im- 
provement should be to elect a good School Committee, and 
to let the committee understand that they should be supported 
in all necessary measures to obtain good teachers. They 
should have strict examinations, and be firm against all im- 
portunities of teachers or trustees to favor some particular 
district. If for a year several districts should go without a 
school in consequence of this strict examination, better do it 
than to have a school taught by an ignorant, stupid fellow, 
from whom the children could only learn stupidity and bad 
habits, which it would afterwards take other teachers years 
to correct. No teacher can be too good, or know too much, 
for a school of even the smallest scholars. 

This idea, so common in some districts, that such a teacher 
will do for us, because we have only a few small scholars, is 
one that committees and all friends of schools should endeavor 
to eradicate. 

Then again there can be no good school anywhere unless 
the parents co-operate with and sustain the teacher. And in 
a great many districts the school being a poor one, is wholly 
owing to the fault of the parelits in this respect. It is too 
common for parents to listen to and encourage the complaints 
of children against the teacher. Of course it is more difficult 
for a teacher in such cases to keep good order, and without 
good order there can be no good school. If the larger portion 
of the teacher's time is taken up in preserving order, the chil- 
dren themselves are the sufferers. Few parents realize how 
much their children are losing from their encouraging insub- 
ordination in this way. 

In regard to discipline, a great deal depends not on the mere 
physical strength, but on the tact of the teacher. Some teach- 
ers have a faculty of making school and school studies inter- 
esting, while under other teachers all studies are dry and dis- 
agraeable. 



13 

It is gratifying to observe that the number of female teach- 
ers now employed is so much greater than it was formerly. — 
It is to be hoped the time will soon arrive when the greater 
part of our schools will be taught by females. They will 
not only be cheaper but better. 

In regard to the necessity of aid to the poor districts be- 
fore spoken of, too much can hardly be said. It is respect- 
fully suggested to the legislature that a portion of the money 
from the State treasury should be divided among the towns 
upon some other principle than population. Even by the 
present law, when a town has received its money from the 
State, it is not divided out to the districts by population or 
attendance, because if so done, the poor districts would get 
nearly nothing. Nor is it divided equally among the districts, 
for this would, in m.any cases, be doing injustice in the other 
extreme. But the law has adopted both principles, and half 
the money is divided equally and the other half according to 
attendance. And in this way more justice is done than 
would be done by any one definite rule. 

Now if this is right in dividing the money among the dis- 
tricts, why is it not right in dividing the money among the 
towns ? To divide the money equally among the towns 
would be unjust to the compact places. The present rule of 
dividing by population is equally unjust to the large but 
poorer towns. 

There are many large country districts where the popu- 
lation is as thin as we have stated. They are already so 
large they cannot well be made larger, and the same districts 
are also generally the poorest. There are many cases where 
the whole valuation of a district is not equal to that of a sin- 
gle good house and lot in the city of Providence. There 
are two or three whole towns and parts of other towns so 
situated. 

If the state undertakes to educate, it should do as much 
for the country child as for the city child. Let the Legis- 
lature do all in their power, they cannot make his advanta- 



14 

ges equal, but this is no reason why something should not 
be done. The present distribution is an enormous injustice. 

The cities already contain the greater portion of the 
wealth of the State. They draw from the country towns 
nearly all their active and enterprising men. They can well 
aflford to be magnanimous and just. 

I have often urged this subject upon the attention of mem- 
bers of the Legislature in conversation and in various v/ays, 
and publicly in my report of January, A. D., 1851. But 
the present seems a suitable opportunity to remedy the diffi- 
culty, as the treasury is now amply able to sustain an in- 
creased appropriation.* 

TRUANCY. 

At the January session of the Legislature, on the 10th day 
of February, 1853, the following act was introduced into the 
House of Representatives : 

An Act concerning Truant Children and Absentees from 

School. 

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows : 

Section I. Any town or city in tliis State is hereby author- 
ized and empowered to make such bylaws and ordinances, 
concerning truant children between the ages of six and fifteen 
years, who are growing up in ignorance, are without any reg- 
ular and lawful occupation, and are habitual truants from 
school, as shall be most conducive to their welfare, and the 
good of such city or towns ; and may affix suitable penalties : 
Provided^ however, that said penalties in no case exceed a 
fine of twenty dollars ; or a committal to any such house of 
reformation, institution of instruction, or suitable situation, as 
may be provided for the purpose. 

Sec. 2. Any city or town availing itself of the provisions of 
this act, shall appoint, at the annual meetings of such town, 
or annually by the Mayor and Aldermen of such city, one or 

♦Since these remarks were written, ths Legislature at its present session have 
made an addition to the State appropriation in accordance with the views here ex- 
pressed, by which each school district, without regard to its size, will receive about 
forty dollars more than it now receives. It is to be hoped that the effect of it wil' 
be a great improvement in the country schools. 

The Legislature by the same act, made appropriations for defraying the expenses 
of lectures and addresses in different parts of the .State, and also for a Normal School. 



15 

more persons, who alone shall be aiuiiorized to make com- 
plaints for the violation of said by-lav/s or ordinance, before 
any Justice of the Peace, or any Court exercising the jurisdic- 
tion of a Justice within the town or city where the offence was 
committed, which persons, thus appointed, shall also have sole 
authority to carry into execution the orders of such Justice or 
Court in all cases arising under this act. 

Sec, 3. Any minor convicted under this act of being an ha- 
bitual truant, or of not attending school, or of being without 
any regular and lawful occupation, or growing up in igno- 
rance, and sentenced to pay a fine, as provided in the first 
section of this act, may, in default of payment thereof, be 
committed to said house of reformation, institution of in- 
struction, or suitable situation provided as aforesaid, or to the 
county jail, as provided in case of non-payment of other fines. 
And upon proof that said minor is unable to pay said fine, 
and has no parent, guardian, or person chargeable with his 
support, able to pay the same, he may be discharged by said 
justice or court, whenever he or they shall see fit. 

Subsequently the act was amended and limited in its ac- 
tion to the city of Providence, and passed the House in the 
following shape, but was defeated in the Senate. 

An Act to prevent Truancy from School in the City of 

Providence. 
Be it enacted by the General Assembly as follows : 

Section 1. The Board of Aldermen of the City of Provi- 
dence, may, at any time after the passage of this act, and 
annually thereafter, appoint one or more discreet and suitable 
persons in said city, whose duty it shall be to see that all 
children, truants from school, between six and fifteen years 
of age, residing in said city, who are without lawful occupa- 
tion, and are growing up in ignorance, are placed and kept 
in some public or private school in said city. Said persons, 
so appointed, shall be called supervisors of schools, and shall 
have power to hear and examine complaints and at their dis- 
cretion to take such children to school ; and in case of con- 
tinued truancy, with the approbation of the Board of Alder- 
man of said city, as is hereinafter provided, may commit any 
such children to the Reform School in said city. 

Sec. 2. When any supervisor cannot induce any such 
child regularly to attend some school in said city, he shall 
report the name of such child to the Board of Aldermen, who 
are hereby authorised to cause such child, with their parents 
or guardians, to be brought before them by said supervisor, 



16 

and the matter shall then be, by said Board, fully investiga- 
ted ; and if npon a full hearing of the case, said Board deter- 
mine that said child cannot be- kept at school, and that such 
child is growing up in ignorance, having no lawful occupa- 
tion, said Board may order said supervisor to commit said 
child to the Reform School for a term not exceeding the 
period of his minority. 

Having heretofore expressed my opinion upon the princi- 
ples involved in these acts, I shall not trouble the legislature 
with repeating them. 

These bills confer great powers, and might be liable to 
great abuse. Too much caution cannot be used when we 
undertake to interfere between the parent and the child. 

THE STATE AND EDUCATION. 

In all parts of the country the feeling in favor of general 
popular education has been growing stronger and stronger. 
In almost all the states, the governments have provided the 
means of common elementary education for all the people. 

Thus far all its friends have gone on harmoniously. A 
sense of necessity has led them to overlook all objections, 
and no inquiry has been made into the grounds of the right 
of the state to educate, or the extent of this right. 

Bwt now some propose going further. Not content with 
elementary education, (to which from its obvious benefits no 
objection could be made) writers now advocate the duty of the 
state to give to every one a complete education for the business 
he intends to follow. The state is to institute agricultural 
colleges to make farmers, commercial schools to make mer- 
chants, schools for all the mechanic arts, engineering, chem- 
istry, geology, botany, astronomy, for painting, music, and 
every other pursuit which any one may choose to follow. 

This may seem a sort of reductio ad absurdum, and yet it 
is gravely put forth. But few have spoken out as yet, but 
the same thoughts and ideas are doubtless entertained by 
many. 

If the cause of education is injured by the propagation 



17 

of" such sentiments, it will not be the first time that ultraism 
has injured a good cause. Over zealous friends with perfect 
honesty and the best intentions, may do it harm which all 
the malice of its enemies would have labored for in vain. 

But the fact that such views are entertained, sliould lead 
us anew and often to examine the principles upon which 
the statevclaims the right to educate. How far can it go in 
providing the means of education, and how far can it justly 
compel attendance upon them ? If the state may compel at- 
tendance upon the schools, then the dominant party or sect 
may prescribe the education to be furnished, and will take 
good care that it is so directed as to support its own particu- 
lar views and policy. 

Having always entertained the view that in a free govern- 
ment, the sole object of government should be to prevent 
crimes against person and property, and that beyond this 
everything should be left to private enterprise, I see no rea- 
son to change these views. Every interference of govern- 
ment with private affairs, every case of doing for a man what 
he ought to do for himself, lessens the feeling of individual 
independence and enterprise. We should entourage and aid 
individual exertion, but never do anything which should dis- 
pense with it. 

In despotic governments the people are in the habit of 
looking to the government for everything ; they attempt 
nothing themselves. We should not encourage a habit 
which in its results would be the death^of our freedom. 

Even in those cases in our country, where the state has 
undertaken great works as a State, it may be doubted wheth- 
er the advantages compensate for the many evils incident to 
such a system. Many of our states have made great canals 
and railways, which have added greatly to their material pro- 
gress andwealth ; and if wealth was the only object of gov- 
ernment, then they may have been right in mak ing them. 
But this is but a short-sighted view. Even in New York 
state the great public works are a source of immense patron- 



18 

age, and consequently of faction, intrigue, and corruption. 
One of our other large states has a very unenviable reputa- 
tion as to the extent of corruption in its legislature, and among 
its public men. ^And in some of the newer and weaker states, 
repudiation of debts and public dishonor have been the re- 
sult of the State undertakings. 

The views here expressed will by many be deemed to be 
'■ behind the age." I believe them nevertheless to be sound. 

Having in my last report, under the head of " the funda- 
mental principles of an educational system,'' expressed my 
opinions cfti this subject, I shall not repeat them here, but 
will only refer to that, and to the appendix to this Report, 
for further considerations upon the subject. 

E. R. POTTER, 
Commi.sioner of Public Schools. 

Kingston, R. I., Jan. 1854. 



J^-^JL. ^lAAjxZau 



APPENDIX No. I. 



Table No. 1, accompanying the Report of the Commissioner of Public 

Schools. 






ooooooooo 

OO05OOOOC3O 



ooooooooo i^O-tOO-^OOOOO 
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIMOOOOO 

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o^iTi^o^^in >n^o <M ^ oi c-\ >n^oi •-' •* <M ^ r-. o ^ i?) o_^ (ra — « (M_ t- <M 



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■a ^ 
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5 2 



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2 => 



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r--Ot^OOOOC5000^^00COOOOC05^0l050C^5l^^OO^OOOOt^tOW 



-*-tr~r^-tOCTW^ii^r;CTC?r^!Oc^m.-i05«*-Oi-'5 0too5'>*'-H«owcoo 
Oi-comQO-^'l<tocoos<iMcoo2 0-"00t^o-. ovinoo-^i^oor— Tfcoco 

CsOSOtNOOOSO — tOtO-*asOOi35«C5 0'3CTJ(M'-'(r)00000«tOOt^CDCOtO 



toooo(NcO'-"e>< r-ito 



i-H CO ^ •-I »n <N 



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CI en o CI — r^ -.f 

CO r-l F.H M C^ ^ _ 



(M CO (M O) ^ 

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t^ a CC —• (T\ 

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00 to 



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0«Oooom>-"t^ooo-*C". otooao<r)mr~ocjo?io— 'Oro— I 

ist^io-^tOMtoi-'L'jmmTftot^coo-^s^inoi^oaooor^Oi— ICJ5 
ciooo-t — i~a> — t^— ■"*toi— t^ooOto--i-*c^oa5--<ooc^ rn 



O -- IS 

o 00 

■^f 00 



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cocoo— <s>)t^ -^ ^ ^ •-! 



OOOOOOOOO-tOOCOOOO-^OOO-^inOOifSO— oooo 

oooooooooaioomooooiritooin-*i>i-*ot^oooGOOO 
— o in o ..; o o ci •<* to CI c^ in cj (N tJ" im ■* i-i i— ri (m to c^ ^ ■-< CT>^r-_^!N 
oT co" •*" oT f-T CO "-T CT r-i 



^>.oootc>n<^^co'no•^^oo5l^^toot-■— 'COr— i!Mt~-»nooin.— i'»*'-<i<ocooo 
in»nt^<N'— '>nc*it^tOd-^ooointotototo^^co-^in^->nTfTi«oiQOcOTj* 
ooi^oO'—'r^.to-^oo — -*r-4cococo oito t-'*<MtO'^t~oo>ncoO>ni-< 



CT> --< CI -< -« r^ 



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a o «J 






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OPhI 






Table No. 2, accompanying the Eeport cf the Commissioner of Public 

Schools. 



( 1,2, 19 and 20 
1 consolidated. 

( Joint at Car 
} Mills, besides 
( the 7. 

j Average esti- 
( mated. 




X 


1 


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to 

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CT> CO ^__tD CO M m (M I-l 5S ■* Tjirtr-i_C0«C^rHi-i(M.-i»r5C0 ■-<eO>-l 






iMcr>o-f'n-i<ci3i^'^«3oot^oo3C500cooooom(NCi-*«Tj<— ■cncnoi-'iO 
o^CTJCo_ts■,7>^ncoc^^t^^co■»t<l— 1 m.-irt -*coc^i7ir-ioc>io-*r-<i-<e0i-i 

of rn" 


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Providence, 

North Providence, 

SmithficUl, 

Cumberland, 

Seitaate, 

Cranston, 

Jolmston, 

Gloucester, 

Poster, 

Burrillville, 

Newport, 

Portsmouth, 

Middletown, 

Tiverton, 

Little Compton, 

New Shoreham, 

Jamestown, 

South Kingstown, 

Westerly, 

North Ivingstown, 

Exeter, 

Charlestown, 

Ilopkinton, 

Kichmond, 

Warwick, 

Coventry, 

East Greenwich, 

West Greenwich, 

Bristol, 

Warren, 

Barrington, 





21 



Table No, 3, accompanying the Report of the CommissioneT of Public 

Schools. 



1 

1 

j 

I. 

iS 

a.' 

i " 
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02 

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D 
g 
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1 
1 


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and write. 


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tn^OJ — CO a^Ti<^-^ 

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— CO 00 cTJ 00 ■* ■* 




.5 


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2 


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cooJt^Oin-^Ttr^oo 

CO CO •* ,-1 t» ..Ji .^ j^ (M 


«n 
00 


to r-. (N t- w -t 
CO en '- CO 00 >-0 
^_^r~ O^tO CO -* 


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Q0C0inOO00C0OC0<0 
WrltOCO — — -^IM 


oc 


2"^ 

T S 

IS 
51 


9,150 

1,74.3 

2,701 
1,472 
1,021 
1,072 


-.C0t^<MlM0000-<1<00(N<N(MOiinr^ 

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(Ntotoco.— co-<Vfi<^eo 
into — oi'ttOr-.t^cO'j' 
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1 

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aa 


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6 

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•*.*CO-*0O(M-Ht£),H(M iniJiCOiTI 


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to r^ tc CO 00 CO t^ 1- 00 

rlCO'MOO'tCN — COIN 


oc 

tc 

00 


05 -H C5 CO •* 

as oj IX) c( 03 
t^ ■* |^^^oo 00 
CD r-T oi i-T 


-t to (M -^ in 00 <N to m in (M t^ to 
ootDininini^cN-tc^inincjiooo 
toinr)<5ocr><><^ocoeo ooomco 


oocOf-HininmcoCTiooos 
coOcNco — ooeo — (N(N 
i?» to ■* c^i^i^ oi oi i^ n -1 


CO 

00 

00 

m' 


III 

1 ? S ''-' 

5* = £ 


iooor^'^to — Oinococ^'-^-*!- — ooooitoo 
OinrtOO»^05inoocooO(NO-^-foococsc£>iNmiM 

tor^ooo'5iO(Mcoinin(MOC3(NtDa:r co-<(N 

— ininr^'N^iri<Mr»ixiiMTtiooomcD«o«5<D.-ico 
t-_oqt^inO_^«^vo-^<oo^'Ti<.— cococo o'£>e^t« 
05" f-.' oT ^" —" — ' (M .-T 


oo-tctoocioto— iin 

— (NCOOOOOOt-OOrOrJi 

r^inooinr-i.*rt<ocooo 

Tt<inr-ciOTj'Tj'(MG0C0..1« 

iNtO'i't^ooincooin-^ 


1 






H 




Providence, 

North Providence, 

Sraithfield, 

Cumberland, 

Scitudte, 

Cranston, 


Johnston. 

Gloccster, 

Foster, 

Burrillville; 

Newport,- 

Portsmouth, 

Middletown, 

Tiverton, 

Little Compton, 

New Shoreham, 

Jamestown, 

South Kingstown, 

Westerly, 

North Kingstown, 

Exeter, 

Charlestown, 

Hopkinton, 

Richmond, 

Warwick, 

Coventry, 

East Greenwich, 

West Greenwich, 

Bristol, 

Warren, 

Barrington, 





APPENDIX NO. 2. 



PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION. 

The subject of religious education and prayer in the schools, was 
treated of at length in the report of last year, accompanied by many 
extracts from the writings of different authors, giving their opinions 
and arguments upon the question. We continue these extracts hore. 
The question is a most important one, and our object is to give some 
able arguments and views upon all the different sides, so that the 
people may understand all the difficulties of the case, and be quali- 
fied to form an opinion upon its merits. 

Extract from an Address on the use of the Bible in commen 
schools, by Thomas H. Bun'owes, from the Penn. School Journal : 

•'But there are those who say it is a violation of their rights of con- 
science to have any version of the scriptures read or used in the pres- 
ence of their children, except the one authorized by their own ecclesi- 
astical authority ; nay it is said there are those who deny their un- 
restricted use to the laity at all, and who therefore prefer the same 
objection. In this, however, they labor under no greater hardship 
than does the non-combatant citizen who pays or is compelled to pay 
his quota towards the support of the military expenses of the Com- 
monwealth, and to defray the cost of the nation's wars : nor of him 
who denies the propriety of capital punishment, yet pays his tax to 
sustain the administration of justice : nor of those who are debarred 
from holding public office, or of being witnesses in a court of justice, 
for the want of belief in the Being of a God and a future state of 
rewards and punishments ; nor of those who may, by act of Assem- 
bly, be fined or imprisoned for profaning Almighty God, Christ 
.Jesus, the Holy Spirit or the Scriptures of Truth, though they be- 
lieve in none of them. AH these are, also, cases of conscience quite 
as strong and as clear as those under consideration : yet the wheels 
of government are not to stand still, nor sectarian exemption to be 
made, to remove them. None of these classes of conscientious ob- 
jectors suffer greater hardship than does the protestant citizen of the 
United States in Rome or the same citizen of any christian denomi- 
nation in a Mahometan land, by being restricted in the worship of 
his God according to the dictates of his own reason and conscience. 
In either case he knows the restriction before he places himself, or 
while he continues in the position of restraint, and is bound to sub- 
mit. In the case of the American citizen abroad, the republican 
principle of self government teaches him to respect and submit to 
,he laws and conform to the institutions of every foreign land he may 



23 

visit. In that of the constrained citizen at home, submission to the 
law and the republican institutions of the land are no less obligatory. 

" But suppose the Bible to be expressly by law excluded from the 
common schools, or any tantamount legislation adopted, what would 
be the probable consequences ? 

*' In the first place the change would not — could not — stop there, 
even as regards conscieuice. 

" In the second place, the exclusion would lead to the expulsion of 
all moral training from the schools. 

" Granting for a moment that we might, as a people, with safety 
abandon the great distinctive principle of mental freedom, of vvhich 
the free and unrestricted use of the scriptures is the very basis, let 
us see whether this would be the end of demanded concession to al- 
leged rights of conscience. An instant's thought ahead will show 
that would be but the beginning of the claim. 

" If the scriptures, as a whole, may not be used, then the same 
objection would assuredly be urged against the almost innumerable 
reading and other school books, now in use, which contain large ex- 
tracts from those scriptures. No objection is now made against this 
class of books on this account, for the reason, that, so long as they 
are not so constructed as to promote any particular sectarian purpose, 
it were absurd to object to them as extracts, while you sanction the 
use of the book from which they are taken. But, exclude that Book 
— put its pages under a general ban — and the same decree must, by 
the rules of common fair play and consistency, condemn every book 
containing a chapter, or even a single verse, from the interdicted 
volume, no matter how beautiful, eloquent or sublime the passage, or 
how innocent of sectarian tendency. 

" Again : The opening of the Bible to the world produced a marked 
era in History. Some call this a Reformation — some the reverse. 
The purposes of this address do not require an opinion here as 
to the propriety or benefit of this change, or as to those of the events 
which followed. It is sufficient to assert that they are historic facts, 
to the knowledge of which, as such, our children have an undoubted 
right. But already, in several quarters, histories describing this 
event, and detailing in plain phrase the excesses of those called the 
early Reformers and their opponents — for it cannot be denied that 
both parties were guilty in this respect — have been objected to by the 
same sensitive feeling, which cannot listen to the reading of the Bi- 
ble, and their exclusion demanded. Now, concede this first step, 
and it will become necessaary to expurgate — nay to dismember and 
in effect to falsify, history, and thus to dim, if not withdraw, the 
light of the past from the progress of the future. 

" But, in the second place, this will not be all, nor the worst, of 
the consequences of the exclusion. It will then be found impracti- 
cable at all to teach morality in the common schools. 

" Religion or piety would seem to be that spirit of action or sys- 
tem of principles which regulates human conduct with reference to 
the Deity. Morality seems to be those principles of action which 



24 

guide man's conduct towards his fellow-man. Both are undoubtedly 
emanations from the Deity : the principles and rules of religion be- 
ing derived from the revealed will of God, and those of sound moral- 
ity mainly found in the same revelation. If this be so, then, as be- 
fore remarked, the disuse of the Bible, as a school book, deprives all 
the youth of the State of the opportunity of acquiring a full know- 
ledge of that code of morality, in its pure source, while attending the 
common schools, and many of them of the opportunity of ever ac- 
quiring it at all ; for all the knowledge they will ever derive, from 
books, on this or any other subject, must be obtained in these schools. 

'* But further : we unfortunately differ not merely in religious 
creed, but also on some essential points of morality ; and if you ex- 
clude the Bible, because it is objected to by particularsects, the same 
rule of liberty of conscience must cause you to abstain from teaching, 
in morals, that which any deny or oppose. The Mormon preaches 
and practices polygamy, the Jew denies the divine nature of the Sa- 
Tior, the Atheist says there is no God, and the habitual, but, it may 
be, moderate drinker insists, by precept and practice in his family, 
upon the propriety and healthfulness of his stimulant. Now, by 
what right or authority shall the teacher denounce pologamy or pun- 
ish profanation of the name of God, or of the iSavior, or even incul- 
cate the propriety and necessity of abstinence from intoxicating drink, 
if the Bible be excluded ? There can then be no authority for it 
shown. The same mistaken regard for the rights of conscience 
which will take the one out of his hand, will take the other out of 
his mouth ; and he must confine his care to the postures and health 
of the body and the training of the mere intellect, leaving the heart 
uncultured and the moral sentiments undeveloped — uneducated. 
Then, indeed would the common schools be, not merely those "God- 
less Schools" which they have been sneeringly termed, but nurseries 
of intellectual monsters and hot-beds of luxuriant vice, from a com- 
parison with which the schools of mere heathen philosophy might 
well shrink with disgust. 

Extract giving the last views of Dr. Chalmers upon the 
religions education question. 

" It were the best stale of things, that we had a Parliament suffi- 
ciently theological to discriminate between the right and the wrong 
in religion, and to encourage or endow accordingly. But failing 
this, it seems to us the next best thing, thai in any public measure 
for helping on the education of the people, Government were to ab- 
stain from introducing the element of religion at all into their part of 
the scheme, and this not because they held the matter to be insigni- 
ficant — the contrary might be strongly expressed in the preamble of 
their act ; but on the ground that, in the present divided state of the 
Christian world, they would take no cognisance of, just because they 
would attempt no control over the religion of applicants for aid — 
leaving this matter entire to the parties who had to do with the erec- 
tion and management of the schools which they had been called upon 
to assist. A grant by the State upon this footing, might be regard- 



25 

ed as being appropriately and exclusively the expression of their 
value for a good secular education. 

" The confinement, for the time being, nf any Government meas- 
ure for schools to this object, we hold to be an imputation, not so 
much on the present state of our Legislature, as on the present state 
of the Christian world, now broken up into sects and parties innu- 
merable, and seemingly incapable of any effort for so healincr these 
wretched divisions, as to present the rulers of our country with aught 
like such a clear and unequivocal majority in favor of what is good 
and true, as might at once determine them to fix upon and to es- 
pouse it. 

" It is this which has encompassed the Government with difficul- 
ties, from which we can see no other method of extrication' than the 
one which we have ventured to suggest. And as there seems no 
reason why, becHuse of these unresolved differences, a public measure 
for the health of all — for the recreation of all — for the economic ad- 
vancement of all — should be held in abeyance, there seems as little 
reason why, because of these differences, a public measure for rais- 
ing the f^eneral intelligence of all should be held in abeyance. Let 
the men, therefore, of all churches and all denominations, alike hail 
such a measure, whether as carried into effect by a good education 
in letters or in any of the sciences; and, meanwhile, in these very 
seminaries, let that education in religion which the Legislature ab- 
stains from providing for, be provided for as freely and amply as they 
will by those who have undertaken the charge of them. 

" We should hope, as the result of such a scheme, for a most 
wholesome rivalship on the part of many in the great aim of rearing 
on the basis of their respective systems a moral and Christian popu- 
lation, well taught in the principles and doctrines of the gospel, along 
with being with being well taught in the lessons of ordinary scholar- 
ship. Altho'noattemptshould be made to regulate orto enforce the les- 
sons of religion in the inner hall of legislation, this will not prevent, but 
rather stimulate to a greater earnestness in the contest between truth 
and falsehood — between light and darkness — in the outer field of so- 
ciety ; nor will the result of such a contest in favor of what is right 
and good be at all the more unlikely, that the families of the land 
have been raised by the helping hand of the state to a higher plat- 
form than before, whether as respects their health, or their physical 
comfort, or their economic condition, or, last of all, their place in the 
scale of intelligence and learning. 

" Religion would, under such a system, be the immediate product, 
not of legislation, but of the Christian and philanthropic zeal which 
obtained throughout society at large. But it is well when what leg- 
islation does for the fulfilment of its object tends not to the impedi- 
ment, but rather we apprehend, to the furtherance of those greater 
and higher objects which are in the contemplation of those whose de- 
sires are chiefly set on the immortal well-being of man i 

Extract from the " Rise and Progress of National Educa- 
tion," — a letter to R. Cobden, Esq., M, P., by Richard 



26 

Church, — Secretary of the Yorkshire Society for promoting 
National Education : 1S52. 

" But what are we to do? Educate the people. Ay, but how ? 
Could Bossuet rise from his grave, how would he chuckle at this 
English aspect of Protestantism, broken up into denominational por- 
tions incapable of co-operating in one grand scheme of national educa- 
tion ! Could he have foreseen what we see, with what scornful tri- 
umph would he not have predicted it as an extravagant issue of the 
new faith, and how indignantly would that faith have repudiated the 
monstrous imputation of so monstrous an iesue ? Why, see the ab- 
surdity of our position. It is the case of a number of rival beauties — 
or, in their own estimation, beauties, desirous to fascinate a power- 
ful blind man, each confident of the infinite superiority of her charms, 
and each looking with proud contempt on her competitor. ' Give the 
blind man sight,' you would expect them to say, ' and let him decide 
between us.' Not so our denominational rivals. Before they will 
allow him to be couched, each insists on impressing his mind with a 
clear appreciation of her particular style of beauty, to the exclusion 
of every other. They are all anxious, they say, that he should see, 
but then all desire he should see with a foregone conclusion. They 
are very arrogant, all of them, about their charms, and yet each 
seems afraid to submit these charms to the free vision and unbiassed 
judgment of this blind Paris. There is a most suspicious struggle 
who it is that should superintend the couching, who should find the 
operator, who should first impress her form on the opening eye. 
Meanwhile, the strong man continues blind. Not harmless because 
he is blind, but the reverse. Now mischieviously exerting his mas- 
sive energy as he would not have exerted it, could he have seen, 
and yet half pleased with the mischance as a retribution on those 
who will not cause him to see, instinctively feeling that he ought to 
see, and growing more and more disgusted with those selfish com- 
petitors, who for their own ends deprive him of the gift and privilege 
of sight. 

•it -U. •U' xU- •&£. ■4£' 4t 

T^- ^ ^ -tF Tt- TV" W 

" In the presence of such authorities (Dr. Hook, Dr. Chalmers, 
Dr. Vaughn, &c.) to argue on the innocuousness of secular instruc- 
tion, though administered alone, seems unnecessary, as in fact, to 
argue for it in the presence of that protestantism which sprang from 
the revival of secular knowledge seems absurd. For the man who 
admits that, in the sixteenth century, the diffusion of the secular 
knowledge of the heathen had the remarkable effect of bringing men 
from what he deems a false form of Christianity to a true one, ad- 
mits at the same time that there is something in secular knowledge 
which renders it an efficient test of religious truth. But now, if he 
will not permit it to act alone, if he insists on binding it by foregone 
conclusions, and forcibly linking it to certain religious views, the 
presumption must be that he treats it in this way for the express 
purpose of preventing its being such a test. How far such a suspi- 
cion is creditable to him or advantageous to his religion, 1 leave him 
xO decide." 



27 

Extract from " The Natural History of Society," by W 
C. Taylor, TX. D., of Trinity College, Dublin. 

"In a great many schools, notwithstanding modern improvements, 
children are still taught that heaven is a definite locality above their 
heads, and hell an equally definite place under their feet. These 
absurd notions are engrafted on the interpretation of the Bible, and 
are consequently given and received as articles of faith. When the 
persons thus instructed acquire even an elementary knowledge of 
geography and astronoiny, they discover the utter folly of such no- 
tions ; but too often they believe that the absurdity exists in the 
Bible, and not in the presumption of ignorant teachers. This is one 
of the most common causes of infidelity among the half-educated, and 
its influence is far more extensive than is generally imagined. With 
some sad proofs of the mischief thus produced immediately before 
our eyes, we may be permitted to question the prudence of making 
the Bible a school book, at least until school-masters and mistresses 
are better qualified to explain its peculiar phraseology than they are 
at present." — Vol. 1, p. 304— Note. 

Extract from a pamphlet on Popular Education in Eng- 
land, by Robert Vaughn, D. D. 

" I have a very humble opinion of the direct religious teachings 
which is given in day schools, or that ever can be given in such in- 
stitutions. Nor do I speak without experience on this subject. I 
have served more than one apprenticeship in the superintendence of 
schools on the British system, and the great benefit of such schools 
I have always found to consist, not in any direct religious impression 
produced by them, but in their adaptation to prepare the young for 
receiving religious instruction with advantage elsewhere." 

Extracts from a Preliminary Dissertation by J. P. Nicoll, 
LL. D., Professor in Glasgow University, prefixed to Willm's 
Treatise on Education. 

" Turning from Morality to those other classes of human faculties 
which Education ought to develop, we discern without difficulty, 
that, from all special sectarian questions, they are much farther re- 
moved. The chief of them is the Intellect, guiding us towards a 
view of the order and grandeur ©f Material Nature : and surely it 
requires no research, to establish that its functions, in this inquiry, 
are wholly independent. By its inductive and deductive processes, 
the laws of which are abstract, and perfectly definite, the human in- 
tellect group, the forms and events around it, according to their !^im- 
ilitudes; and having, by well selected or critical instances, ascended 
to some comprehensive principle, it uses it to unwind all other com- 
plicacy and seeming confusion, and thus descries the simplicity and 
perfection of Nature. Religion indeed — even in its most compre- 
hensive expression — can have no part or share in processes like 
these ; but I am persuaded, nevertheless, that no parent could desire 



28 

that his child be conducted through the halls of this gorgeous palace, 
as if it had no King ; or discern, in the play of these mighty Ener- 
gies, only the clank of an inert mechanism — the movements of the 
arm of a p-iant Necessity possessing all the Universe. At once then 
I repudiate the idea of a banishment of the Religious sentiments from 
connection with our contemplations of Nature ; and, in the earnest- 
ness with which I do so, I recognise only the repetition of a fenti- 
ment influencing my countrymen at large : but this feeling, however 
sound and strong, does not, when duly interpreted, in anywise re- 
quire us to reject the clear and inestimable benefits of a united Edu- 
cation. The question, be it remembered, is — not about separating 
the training of the intellect from training in religion — but hoxo far are 
we precluded, by respect due to the discrepancies of sects, from ac- 
companying the training of the intellect, in a common school, with 
all the aids and illustration it might receive from its connection with 
man's religious nature ?* Now, there are only two points, in refer- 
ence to which it is possibb to conjoin the Religious sentiments with . 
the survey of the Material Universe, and assuredly they are suffi- 
eiently remote from relationship with the matters concerning which 
our churches are divided. The first is, the existence of design in 
the Universe — which would present Deity as the intelligent Final 
Cause of all that exists. This view of the Fi7-st Principle is as old 
at least as the time of the STAcynixE: and every scholar knows, how 
thoroughly the entiro inquiries of that great man were impregnated 
with it as a living and effective belief. It were of course only tri- 
fling with time to prove elaborately that this subject, and everything 
connected with it, is altogether apart from religious controversy. The 
second \)oint, indeed, has profounder relations; but still, it is only 
the Theodicy of Plato. It is the view which represents God as a 
Providence ; which discerns the energies of Nature as his minis- 
ters ; nay, which, as its culmination, recognises in the Materia! 
World no energy or activity save His — the omnipresence of a Spirit 
whose distinguishing characteristic is Life. So long as the individ- 
uality or independent freedom and responsibility of the Moral Con- 
science is preserved — without which it degenerates into some form 
of Pantheism and attendant Fatalism — this view of Providence leads 
us to the personal Jehovah ; and the anthem of Nature is the same 
as that of the noblest of our inspired Bards ; but surely it too is en- 
tirely removed from the matter of sectarian disputes : — my, it is only 
because we have so deep and broad a foundation of universal Truth, 
that there is a possibility of there being Sects at all. The relations, 

*An influential Religious Body in Scotland has arrived at the conclusion that 
Reading cannot he taught without involving Religious differences, and therefore 
they h.ive asked Government to endow no Schools in which Reading is taught! 
There is such a thing in Experimental philosophy as an iJ.rpcrimenlurn crueis ; in 
Mathematics we have the reductio ad absurdiim. Surely the result arrived at here, 
should indicate to sensible minds that a great error must have been committed — if 
not in logic — at least in the right interpretation of ftmdamenta! principles : it looks 
very like as if we had got amongst the unnatural although eminently logical fanta- 
sies of some modern Ptolemaic System. I appeal confidently to the good sense of 
my countrymen, against this most extraordinary, and extravagant — but wiihal most 
useful — determination of a powerful and learned Ecclesiastical Body. 



29 

indeed, of the march of external Nature with the plans and agency of 
Deity, rather belong to what may be termed the Keliyious Philoso- 
phy of the time. They are the forms into which the prevalent Phi- 
losophy directs the religious sentiments ; and. at a peri d in which 
Mateiialism is unfashionable, or rather scarcely recognised as a pos- 
sible exponent of the Universe ; they, or something equivalent, will 
arise in every mind of natural Piety. I fear we only u^eaken the 
chance of such Piety flovving out freely and sincerely in that direc- 
tion, when, unnecessarily, we mix it up with minute causes of diver- 
gence. 

" One practical result of these views seems eminently important. 
Moved by anxiety that a religious spirit shall pervade all teaching, 
— or, in other words, that this important part of Man's nature shall 
in nowise be repressed or held in abeyance, — the Founders of many 
of our Educational Institutions (among others, of the Scottish Uni- 
versities) have sought to secure fitting dispositions in the Instructor, 
by demandini? that, previous to his induction in office, he subscribe 
the special articles of a Church. Now, in many cases, this subscrip- 
tion may be defensible on other grounds ; it may, for instance, form 
part of a general ecclesiastical system : in this place, however, I 
simply desire to examine the propriety and efficacy of the practice, 
in relation to the foregoing special end; and, considered exclusively 
in this respect, I can see no barrier to our immediate and direct con- 
demnation of all such usages. It would seem to follow at once, from 
our previous discussions, that the power of treating even the science 
of Morals, religiously, has nothing to do with the considerations 
which may guide the teacher's choice among the Churches of these 
lands ; and, assuredly, it is still more manifest that the relations be- 
tween our religious sentiments and the results of the Physical Scien- 
ces, are altogether remote from the questions about which sects usu- 
ally differ. I'here is, however, a further consideration entitled to 
great" weight in this matter. I have said, that, to secure that the 
teacher be a religiously disposed man, it is unnecessary to descend 
among these di;^puted details : but it is even more than unnecessary ; 
such subscriptions arc lohoUy uvfitted to realise that object. The 
qualify of mind desired, be it recollected, is what a powerful Eng- 
lish Journal — the Quarterly Reviezv — has well named RELiGiouSiNEss; 
while these Articles are mere formulas, expressing certain views of 
the logical relations existing between metaphysical or religious ideas. 
The religiousness of a man's nature consists in the clearness with 
lohich he apprehends these ideas themselves ; in the depth, in short, to 
which they have penetrated among his sentiments and affections; 
but the most acute and skilful discussions may be conducted, with 
regard to their logical relations^ by persons who have only the slight- 
est apprehension of them, and over whom, practically, as efficient 
principles of life' and action, they have comparatively little power. 
A man, in short, may be a thoroughly religious man, who, either 
from inattention to the subject, or a deficiency of the logoical pow-' 
ers, has no interest in sets of articles ; and, on the other hand, that 
anomaly is easily explained which presents us so frequently with 



30 

high and severe Churchmen — stern and rigid supporters of systems 
of Articles, and other dogmatic forms — who exhibit withal only very 
slight susceptibility in respect o{ religious impressions. There is not, 
as is commonly supposed, any hypocricy in this state of mind. It is 
a real, and not an assumed or pretended state — arising in the activ- 
ity of the logical faculties, and the comparative inertness of the pow- 
ers of contemplation ; and it has an exact counterpart in a phenome- 
non already referred to, connected with the cultivation of physical 
science. Men, as 1 previously stated, are far from uncommon, who, 
while enjoying the greatest pleasure in the analytic representation 
and development of assumed Physical Laws, have yet but imperfect 
powers to sift thoroughly the physical facts on which alone laws can 
be founded; and, in the same manner, it is quite possible that a 
mind have much interest in the processes and investigations of 
systematic, or, rather, of dogmatic theology, without a corresponding 
power to descend into the far profounder region of the Intuitions. 
If we want keugion, then, let us correct this serious mistake. It is 
indeed a mistake most serious, and it would have driven, from the 
service of the Universities of Scotland, men to whom they have of- 
ten owed the preservation and extension of their repute, had not the 
evil been averted by a usual consequence of the existence of laws 
practically inapplicable to their object, viz : a systematic breach of 
the formal obligation, through the general consent that it be regard- 
ed as a dead letter. But this corrective — however otherwise wel- 
come — involves the hazard of lamentably weakening some of the 
most important sanctions of morality."^ 

'* A point of infinitely greater moment remains to be discussed. — 
How Jar ought our religious variations to inter ftre with the common 
or united Education of the young, even in matters expressly ReUgioiis ? 
It is of essential importance that we discuss this subject not as Sec- 
tarians, but as Christian men. Can it be possible, then, surrounded 
as we are by the noblest examples of worth and piety, limited to no 
church, confined within no special creed, — can it be possible to evade 
the conclusion, that perhaps the most important elements of the 
Christian life, are, after all, those grand sanctions which, for the most 
part, lie below our sectarian differences ? How far, let me be per- 
mitted to ask, would these specialities of our separate churches, in- 
terfere with our efTorts to bring the young mind into submission to 
the wholly unmelaphysical teaching of Christ ? Nay, to look deep- 
er into the subject : — what is the ultimate aim of all sects ? what 
the object of their apparatus of creeds and worships? Is it not, in 
so far as teaching is concerned, to reconcile the Mi^rcy of the Al- 
mighty with our ideas of his Holiness ? Is it not to present him as 
Infinitely pure — hateful of sin, and yet the merciful Father of the 

*The consiclerations in the text seem to me quite adequate to establish the entire inutility 
or inapplicfihility of our existing tests in Scotland; but they go much farther — they show 
the necessdry erroneousness of any Positive Test whatsoever. Unless where purely dog- 
_inatic Theological teaching is conoeroed, what we want is, religious dispositions or suscepti- 
bilities ; character indeed, and not opinion. 'J'he former, it is evident, cannot be assured by 
the mere assent o) the reasoning powers to any set of systematic articles: its existence or 
non-existence, its strength or weakness, will bo indicated only as other points ot nun s char- 
acter are indicated ; and the .Authority which has the power of selecting the Instructor, Deed 
never be at any loss in reaching a conclusion on the subject. 



31 

repentant wanderer? If any sectarian scheme whatsoever, has 
reached, as its final result, conclusions — I don't say at variance with 
— but loftier in any sense, than the lesson in our Lord's tale of the 
Prodigal — I confess they are unknown to me ; and I earnestly appeal 
to those to whom the young generation is the dearest — to those con- 
scientious parents who are thinking solely of their children's welfare, 
why these children might not be tauglit in common, that exquisite 
representation of our relations with a Holy and Merciful God? It is 
true, this is not the whole of the scheme of Christianity. It is, be- 
sides, a most profound philosophical or metaphysical system, and as 
such it is represented in our Articles ; but assuredly, our distinct du- 
ty to the child is, in the first place, to draw out his religious senti- 
ments — to familiarise him with those grand intuitions on whic'i that 
system rests ; and certainly by no means io substitute, a purely dog- 
matic teaching. We are verging, perhaps, on too logical an age. — 
The unresting energies around us — that excessive bustle of modern 
life — conduce to intellectual activitij, but they are adverse to the 
sustenance of contemplation ; and I should say, therefore, that it is 
a formal duty with the Churches, acting for the highest interests of 
culture in our times — to address themselves powerfully to the devel- 
opment of the Intuitions — in other words, to the inculcation of re- 
ligion on the young mind, by that best method of the Gospels. It is 
right, indeed, that teaching should proceed farther than this. Just 
as in the case of iMorals, when the scholar's intellect is ripe enough, 
he should be led into contact with those difficulties and contests 
whose record occupies the pages of Ecclesiastical Histories ; and 
probably one good manner of presenting a view of these is by the 
form of Catechisms. But the teaching of Catechisms — in this view 
of the subject — must clearly belong to the category of special Instruc- 
tion; and therelore maybe studied apart.""^ 

Extracts from "The Education of the People," by J. 
Willnn, Inspector of the Academy of Strasburg, France. 

" Hitherto, while discussing the organization of primary schools, 
we have not taken into account that the inhabitants of the same dis- 
trict, as in many localities in Alsace, Lorraine, &c., in the south of 
France, may profess different religions. It is on this account that 
the law gives to the Minister of instruction, power to authorise, by 
the title of parish schools, seminaries especially belonging to any one 
of the forms of worship recognised by the State. The provision of 
the law only treats with respect a custom already existing ; for in 
many of these mixed communities, the municipal contributions have 
for a long time been equally divided among the schools of the differ- 
ent creeds. 

•' In populous villages, this division has no other inconvenience 

*The importance of dosmsitic teaching npeds no further illustration, than the fact, that the 
construction ot Christianity into a consummate philosophical system, occupied the life and 
unparallelRd energies of >St. Paul ; hut assuredly no one would commit the error of at- 
r«niptin^ to immerse the mind of a child amongst the arduous Epistles of the great Apostle, 
to the neglect ol the universal method of Christ? Now, it is in the varied interpretation of 
J't Paul's views, that wc find the principal source of gectarian discordances. 



32 

than that of keeping up, between the inhabitants who profess differ- 
ent religions, a separation which it would be desirable to have en- 
tirely removed ; still education and instruction do not suffer by it, a? 
it is sufficient, in organising the schools, to proceed in the same 
manner as if for several distinct conmiunities. But how can this be 
done in small villages which are divided between two sects ? There 
are in Alsace, villages with five hundred inhabitants which support 
two common schools, one of which, belonging to the minority, often 
contains no more than fifteen or twenty pupils. The result of this 
is, that the two schools are not in a desirable condition. Shall the 
suppression of this school of the minoiily, and consequently the ad- 
vantage of having but one school better endowed and more suitably 
organised, be placed in the balance against the inconvenience of in- 
trusting the education of a certain number of children to a teacher 
professing a different religion ? — or what amounts to the same thing, 
shall there be mixed schools in a country which reckons religious 
equality amongst the most precious of its rights, and where the law 
itself places religious instruction at the head of all education? We 
can conceive the assembling upon the same benches of pupils of dif- 
ferent religions in special schools, and even in colleges ; because 
their religious convictions are already formed, or because provision is 
made for the teaching of religion independently of, and apart from 
ordinary instruction; and, even there, a strict impartiality and an 
extreme delicacy is for many reasons necessary on the part of 
professors, lest they wound the feelings of one party of the pupils ; 
and care must be taken not to excite those differences, the effacing 
of which is the design of uniting them in the same school. But in 
popular schools, where religious instruction is not only the most im- 
portant part of education, but where the spirit of religion should per- 
vade all, and serve as the foundation of morality, and a common 
prayer should commence and terminate the lesson, this admixture 
offers much greater difficulties. There are, it is true, some mixed 
schools where the mrst strict impai'tiality presides, where no trace 
of confessed preference is found, where pupils of different religious 
professions sit quietly side by side, living together in the same man- 
ner, imbibing the same sentiments, and receiving from the same lips 
the same truths and precepts of morality and religion, not ot religion 
under any particular form, but of universal religion, of that which 
all religious men profess, and which serves as the common basis of 
all worship. But besides that few schools are thus managed, and 
that their management pre-supposes very rare qualities, at what sac- 
rifice are those results obtained ? Is it not at the expense of all that 
forms the essence of religious education, nay, which is religious ed- 
ucation itself? In suppressing at the commencement and close of 
the school confess'onal prayer, and substituting for it a prayer with- 
out any distinctive character, the religious habits of the children are 
disturbed ; the suppression of all prayer would deprive them of an 
important means of religious education ; and in making each portion 
of the? children offer prayer for themselves apart, or in causing them 
all to recite the same prayer, if some are to kneel while others are 



33 

standing, there is great risk of nourishing in the minds of the chil- 
dren that very intolerance which they profess to be contending with, 
or else of implanting in their hearts the germs of scepticism and in- 
difTerence. In such a school, the master who professes the religion 
of the majority is constantly under restraint, and never dares to ex- 
press himself with entire case and freedom, for fear of forgetting his 
part of professional indifTerence. He will he constantly liable to 
failure in his duty ; and he will not be able to fulfil it but at the ex- 
pense of the influence which he ought to exercise over his pupils. 
Until, therefore, by a general progress in religion effected by other 
means, the different sects become reconciled, I think it is better to 
institute primary mixed schools only where they are absolutely nec- 
essary ; that is to say, in districts very thinly peopled, or too poor to 
support several schools, or where nonconformists form only a very 
small minority. But in this case it is most indispensable that the 
superioi: authorities take care that the religious acquirements of this 
minority, be it Catholic, Protestant, or Jewish, be not sacrificed ; and 
whenever the funds will permit it, there should be added to the prin- 
cipal master, an assistiint who professes the religion of the minority. 
****** * 

" I shall state, elsewhere, what (his instruction ought to be, and 
vihsii x\\\s, iyiitiation supposes; meanwhile I only remark, that reli- 
gious instruction can only be given with effect when the children 
have been prepared by religious education ; and that it ought to have 
no other end than the completion of this education. Religion is at 
once sentimc7it, worship, and science ; and it has value as scit?ice on- 
ly in so far as it is founded on seritiment, and may be expressed by 
worship. Worship itself is only of value when in connection with 
sentiment and knowledge. Without instruction, the religious senti- 
ment is blind and without capacity, and worship is a worthless form ; 
but, without sentiment, instruction falls upon a sterile soil, and pro- 
duces no fruit. Above all, then, we must apply ourselves to forming 
and developing the sentiment or religious spirit, Vv^hich is, at once, 
the fear of God, respect, adoration, and love ; therefore, it involves 
resignation to the decrees of Providence, self-denial, humility, char- 
ity, devotion to religious study as the expression of the Divine will 
— a devotion rendered easy by trust in God, and by the hope of an- 
other and better life. 

Such ought to be the object of religious education, without which 
instruction is powerless as such. To realise it, we must give the 
child the knowledge of the high dignity of man, of his noble origin, 
of his immortal destiny, and of his misery, his weakness, and his 
frailty ; we must fill his soul with the fear and love of God, and ele- 
vate his mind by sublime ideas of the Infinite, the Eternal, and the 
Absolute. Instruction will then have an easy task ; and whatever 
revolutions the minds of Fhe pupils may undergo when they become 
men, their religious convictions will remain unshaken as sentiments, 
and their inward faith resist the doubts which may try it. Their 
religious belief may be modified, it may be even overturned ; but they 



34 

will believe in their heart, although unbelief may take possession of 
their intellect — if unbelief as to essential doctrines could possibly 
gain an entrance into minds thus prepared." 

Opinion of Dr. Hook, Vicar of Leeds, Eng.,_ quoted from 
a pamphlet, by Baines. 

" It is abundantly clear that the State cannot give a religious ed- 
ucation, as the word religion is understood by unsophisticated minds. 
* # # # Upon investigating the subject, we find that a notion 
prevails amonir careless people that religion may be treated as either 
general or special : special religion is doctrinal, and general religion 
is some system of morals, which being divested of all doctrine, looks 
so like no religion at all, that religious persons at once perceive, that 
when people talk of an education based on such a religion, they seek 
to deceive themselves as well as us, and utter a falsehood. Now all 
really Christian persons must stand opposed to any system of educa- 
tion, which being professedly based upon this general religion, which 
is no religion, will in fact unchristianize this country. To separate 
the morality of the gospel from the doctrines of the gospel, every one 
who knows what the gospel is, knows to be impossible. =* * * * 
Satan could desire no scheme for the extirpation of Christianity more 
crafty or more sure than this, which would substitute a system of 
morals for religion." 

Extract from " Educational Institutions in the United 

States, their character and organization," by Dr. P. A. Silsis- 

trom, a Swedish traveller in the United States. Translated 

from the Swedish by Frederica Rowan. 

•' I stated above that a truly religious spirit may reign in a school, 
notwithstatding that religion is excluded as a subject of positive in- 
struction ; but may we not go further and assert that in reality reli- 
gion suffers from being made a subject of instruction in the daily 
schools? ns religious instruction in the common schools must alter- 
nate with the temporal studies, is it not probable that in the minds 
of the pupils it will be placed on a level with other subjects ? Is it 
not probable that even the teacher will treat the one subject in ex- 
actly the same manner as the otheis, that is to say, they will treat it 
as an intellectual exercise and nothing more ? and can one suppose 
that all this will not contribute to degrade and profane religion in 
the thoughts of the young? at least as far as my experience goes, it 
tells me that thus it is. Observe the tone which generally rules in 
schools, where nevertheless, religion is daily taught. If there be an 
hour of school time from which it is thought absence will be of no 
consequence, it is the hour of prayer. And who that has ever fre- 
quented a school has not as many bitter or disagreeable recollections 
connected with the religious teaching as with any other lessons ? 
Who has not witnessed daily ebullitions of temper in the teacher as 
well as pupils, and found these as often called forth by the religious 
exercises as by any other ? And is it not most desirable that every 



35 

thing of this kind should be avoided in connexion with such a 
subject as religion?" — Westiim''Revieic. 

Extract from an article on ''Educational Institutions in 
the United States," from the Westminster Review, English, 
April, 1853. 

" Still by some inexplicable fatality, while Englishmen on the 
other side of the Atlantic, see in the development of natural intelli- 
gence through universal instruction, the essential preservation of a 
democracy under the most favorable condition, we, on this side 
take hardly any thought of this preservation, though hurrying into 
a democracy of much more difficult solution. Education with us in- 
deed, is not a citizen's question, but a priest's question. It is not 
how the country shall be filled with intelligent, self-reliant men, but 
hovv church or tabernacle shall be filled with submissive, uninquiring 
congregations. 

We ought to be getting ready for a virtual democracy, and we 
proceed as if we had no higher purpose than a theocracy. The 
school which should be a seminary of citizens, is to be made a net 
for proselytes. The schoolmaster, who ought to be as independent, 
and as sacred as the priest, must be his shadow or his tool. As 
Protestants, indeed, we are bound to assert, in the face of ' Papists,' 
that religion is a matter of private judgment, and that each man, 
on his own responsibility, must choose his own. But, as educators, 
we are bound to render such a dangerous practice impossible. We 
must catch the child as soon as he can learn — we must get him into 
a day school, where he shall be swathed in formulas, catechisms and 
prayers — we must carefully see that he never gets his secular knowl- 
edge pure — we must mix up dogmatic religion with his spelling, his 
reading, his arithmetic and his geography ; we must make him ac- 
cept our views of religious truth as true, and look upon every one 
else as false. When we have done this during the most plastic pe- 
riod of his life, when we have given him a bias from which we think 
it will be difficult for him to recover, drilled him into impressions we 
have taught him to venerate, carefully excluded from him all rea- 
soning or testimony adverse to our own, cramped him in his secular 
acquirements, and completely indisposed him to freedom of inquiry, 
— we can then safely, and without a blush, send him out into the 
world as a valuable illustration of Protestant liberty, and an eloquent 
witness of the glorious privilege of private judgment, whether, on 
the Protestant principle, honestly interpreted, such second-hand, 
birch-rod religion can secure him a place in heaven, may be a doubt, 
but that is his affair. It is calculated that it will induce him to take 
a seat in church, and that is the educator's affair. 

Now, that this is the use to which education in this country has 
been put, is now put, and is wished to be put, by every sect, no one 
not absolutely ignorant will deny. Yet the precious attempt to 
raise up a catecliism-taught, or God-fearing community, by means 
of day school, has been a ridiculous failure. Not only has the sec- 



36 

ular instruction been at zero, but also the religious instruction, or 
even below it. 

Reverend and lay inspectors of schools, inquiring into the matter, 
can scarcely describe without a smile, the irrational jumble that con- 
stitutes the religious knowledge of our "national schools." 

Extract from Massachusetts Common School Journal, A. D. 

1852. vol. 14, 83, commenting upon a remark of Dr. Sears, 

jhat all sects were singularly agreed in support of the school 

law. 

"The only thing that can authorize the remark of the Sec- 
retary that "all sects are singularly agreed in support of this 
law " is, that the minds of the people have changed within 
four years. But we have no proof that there has been any 
such change. It may be true, that since the change of Sec- 
retaries, the opposition to the Board has been less public, be- 
cause the supposed latitudinarian views of the former Secre- 
tary are no longer a bug-bear, and the sectarian character of 
the Board and iis agents are a pledge, that, if any influence 
is exerted over the schools, it will be in the right direction : 
but we have reason to believe that the opposition to free 
schools is not diminished among the Protestant sects, and 
has greatly increased, or rather has gained courage as it has 
gained power among the Roman Catholics. A late member 
of the very Board of Education told us that he was in favor 
of sectarian schools, but as they could not be introduced into 
Massachusetts, he acquiesced in the present system. We 
have reason to believe that school committees are frequently 
nominated with a view to sectarian predominance ; and teach- 
ers have frequently been rejected by committees on account 
of their religious belief. But the opposition of the Protestant 
sects is nothing in comparison with that of the Romanists. 
It is well known that free schools are an abomination to them, 
unless under their control, and under their control they are 
no longer free. 

The Chartists " show their sagacity in distrusting the ed- 
ucation which would be given them by the mass of the aris- 
tocracy and clersy. It would be a servile one. Nothing 
would discourage me more than the success of the clergy in 
getting the education of the country into their hands. Reli- 
gion as it is called, would then become associated with old 
abuses and prejudices, and the spirit of reform would conse- 
quently become irreligious, so that not a few of the most ac- 
tive and generous spirits in the community would be found 
in the ranks of infidelity."' 

Channing^s Life. 3, 60. 



37 

Extracts from a Discourse on the Modifications demanded 
by Roman Catholics in the common schools. By Dr. Bush- 
nell, of Hartford, 1853. 

" We have slid off, imperceptibly, from the old Puritan, upon 
an American basis, and have undertaken to inaugurate a form 
of political order that holds no formal church connection. 
The properly Purit£.n common school is already quite gone 
byj; the intermixture of Methodists, Quakers, Unitarians, 
Episcopalians, and diverse other names of Christians, called 
Protestants, has burst the capsule of Puritanism, and as far 
as the schools are concerned, it is quite passed away ; even 
the Westminster catechism is gone by, to be taught in the 
schools no more. In precisely the same manner, have we un- 
dertaken also to loosen the bonds of Protestantism in the 
schools, when the time demanding it arrives. To this we are 
mortgaged by our great American doctrine itself, and there 
is no way to escape the obligation but to renounce the doctrine, 
and resume, if we can, the forms and lost prerogatives of a 
state religion. 

But there is one thing, and a very great thing, that we have 
not lost, nor agreed to yield ; viz., common schools. Here we 
may take our stand, and upon this we may insist as being a 
great American institution ; one that has its beginnings with 
our history itself; one that is inseparably joined to the fortunes 
of the republic ; and one that can never wax old, or be dis- 
continued in its rightsand reasons, till the pillars of the state are 
themselves cloven down forever. We can not have Puritan 
common schools — these are gone already — we can not, have 
Protestant common schools, or those which are distinctively 
so; but we can have cow wo^i schools, and these we must 
agree to maintain, till the last or latest day of our liberties. 
These are American, as our liberties themselves are Ameri- 
can, and whoever requires of us, whether directly or by im- 
plication, to give them up, requires what is more than our 
bond promises, and what is, in fact, a real affront to our name 
and birthright as a people. 

This great institution, too, of common schools, is not only 
a part of the state, but is imperiously wanted as such, for the 
common training of so many classes and conditions of people. 
There needs to be some place where, in early childhood, they 
may be brought together and made acquainted with each 
other ; thus to wear away the sense of distance, otherwise 
certain to become an established animosity of orders ; to form 
iViendships ; to be exercised together on a common footing 
2 



38 

of ingenuous rivalry ; the children of the rich to feel the 
power and to do honor to the struggles of merit in the lowly, 
when it rises above them ; the children of the poor to learn 
the force of merit, and feel the benign encouragement yielded 
by the blameless victories. Indeed, no child can be said to 
be well trained, especially no male child, who has not met 
the people as they are, above him or below, in the seatings, 
plays and studies of the common school. Without this he 
can never be a fully qualified citizen, or prepared to act his 
part Avisely as a citizen. Confined to a select school, where 
only the children of wealth and distinction are gathered, he 
will not know what merit there is in the real virtues of the 
poor, or the power that slumbers in their talent. He will 
take his better dress as a token of his better quality, look 
down upon the children of the lowly with an educated con- 
tempt, prepare to take on lofty airs of confidence and pre- 
sumption afterwards ; finally, tomake the discovery when it 
is too late, that poverty has been the sturdy nurse of talent 
in some unhonored youth who comes up to afi:Vont him by 
an equal, or mortify and crush him by an overmastering force. 
So also the children of the poor ond lowly, if they should be 
privately educated, in some inferior degree, by the honest 
and faithful exertion of their parents : secreted as it were, in 
some back alley or obscure corner of the town, will either 
grow up in a fierce, inbred hatred of the wealthier classes, or 
else in a mind cowed by undue modesty, as being of another 
and inferior quality, unable, therefore, to fight the great battle 
of life hopefully, and counting it a kind of presumption to 
think that they can force their way upward, even by merit 
itself. 

It is very plain that we can not have common schools for 
the purposes above named, if we make ilistributions, whether 
of schools or of funds, under sectarian or ecclesiastical distinc- 
tions. At that moment the charm and very much of the 
reality of common schools vanish. Besides, the ecclesias- 
tical distinctions are themselves distinctions also of classes, 
in another form, and such too as are much more dangerous 
than any distinctions of wealth. Let the Catholic children, 
for example, be driven out of our schools by unjust trespasses 
on their religion, or be withdrawn for mere pretexts that 
have no foundation, and just there commences a training in 
religious antipathies bitter as the grave. Never brought 
close enough to know each other, the children, subject to the 
great well known principles that whatever is unknown is 
magnified by the darkness it is under, have all their prejudi- 



39 

ces and repugnances magnified a thousand fold. They grow 
up in the conviction that there is nothing but evil in each 
other, and close to that lies the inference that they are right 
in doing what evil to each other they please. I complain not 
of the fact that they are not assimulated, but of what is far 
more dishonest and wicked, that they are not allowed to un- 
derstand each other. They are brought up, in fact, for mis- 
understanding; separated that they may misunderstand each 
other ; kept apart, walled up to heaven in the inclosures of 
their sects, that they may be as ignorant of each other, as in« 
imical, as incapable of love and cordial good citizenship as 
possible. The arrangement is not only unchristian, but it is 
thoroughly un-American, hostile at every point, to our insti- 
tutions themselves. No bitterness is so bitter, no seed of fac- 
tion so rank, no division so irreconcilable, as that which grows 
out of religious distinctions, sharpened to religious animosi- 
ties, and softened by no terms of intercourse ; the more bitter 
when it begins with childhood ; and yet more bitter when it 
is exasperated also by distinctions of property and social life 
that correspond ; and yet more bitter still, when it is aggra- 
vated also by distinctions of stock or nation. 

In the latter view, the withdrawing of our Catholic chil- 
dren from the common schools, unless for some real breach 
upon their religion, and the distribution demanded of public 
moneys to them in schools apart by themselves, is a bitter 
cruelty to the children, and a very unjust affront to our insti- 
tutions. We bid them welcome as they come, and open to 
then' free possession, all the rights of our American citizen- 
ship. They, in return, forbid their children to be American, 
pen them as foreigners to keep them so, and train them up 
in the speech of Ashbod among us. And then, to complete 
the affront, they come to our legislatures demanding it as 
their right, to share in funds collected by a taxing of the 
whole people, and to have these funds applied to the purpose 
of keeping their children from being Americans. 

"Tf w ^ ^ T^ w 

The old school Presbyterian church took grounds, six years 
ago, in their General Assembly, at the crisis of their high 
church zeal, against common and in favor of parochial 
schools. Hitherto their agitation has yielded little more than 
a degree of discouragement and disrespect to the schools of 
their country ; but if the Catholics prevail in their attempt, 
they also will be forward in demanding the same rights, upon 
the same grounds, and their claim also must be granted. 
By that time the whole system of common schools is fatally 
shaken. 



40 

TT W aK * t'^ * 

In most of our x\merican communities, especially those 
which are older and more homogeneous, we have no difficul- 
ty in retaining the Bible m the schools and doing every thing 
necessary to a sound Christian training. Nor, in the larger 
cities, and the more recent settlements, where the population 
is partly Catholic, is there any, the least difficulty in arrang- 
ing a plan so as to yield the accommodation they need, if 
only tiiere were a real disposition on both sides to have the 
arrangement. And precisely here, I suspect, is the main 
difficulty. There may have been a want of consideration 
sometimes manifest d tm the Protestant side, or a willingness 
to thrust our own forms of religious teaching on the children 
of Catholics. Wherever we have insisted on retaining the 
Protestant Bible as a school book, and making the use of it 
by the children of (Catholic families, compulsory, there has 
been good reason for complaining of our intolerance, 
****** 
Is it then impossible to prepare a volume, in the manner of 
the above card, which, without entering into any matter that 
pertains to Christianity as a faith, or a grace of salvation, will 
yet comprise everything thai pertains to the relative condi- 
tions of life, and even to God's authority concerning them — 
the Christian rules of forgiveness, gentleness, forbearance, do- 
cility, modesty, charity, truth, justice, temperance, industry, 
reverence towards God, drawn out in chapters, and formally 
developed — large extracts from the preceptive parts of the 
Bible, and its moral teachings ; from the Proverbs of Solo- 
mon, from the histories of Joseph and Haman, from the his- 
tory of Jesus, in his trial and crucifixion, taken as an exam- 
ple of conduct, from the moral teachings also of his sermon on 
the mount, the parable of the good Samaritan, the rule of the 
lowest seat, and other like expositions — enlivened also by 
those picturesque representations of Scripture that display the 
manner of human nature in matters of moral conduct, such as 
the parable of Jotham, the story of the ewe lamb, and the 
judgment of Solomon. In this way Christianity would have 
a clear and well-ascertained place in the schools. A Christian 
conscience would be formed, and a habit of religious rever- 
ence. And though we could wish for something more, we 
might safely leave the higher mysteries of faith and salvation 
to be taught elsewhere. 

******* 

Out of these and other elements like these, it is not diffi- 
cult to construct, by agreement, such a plan as will be Chris- 
tian, and will not infringe, in the least, upon the tenets of 
either party, the Protestant or the Catholic. It has been 



41 

done in Holland and, where is it much more difficult, in Ire- 
land. The Britsh government, undertaking at last, in good 
faith, to construct a plan of national education for Ireland, 
appointed Archbishop Whatley and the Catholic Archbishop 
of Dublin, with five others, one a Presbyterian and one a 
Unitarian, to be a board or committee of superintendence. 
They agreed upon a selection of reading lessons from both 
translations of the Scriptures, and, by means of a system of 
restrictions and qualifications, carefully arranged, providing 
for distinct methods and times of religious instructions, they 
were able to construct a union, not godless or negative, but 
thoroughly Christian in itscharacter, and so to draw as many 
as 500,000 of the children into the public schools ; conferring 
thus upon the poor neglected and hitherto oppressed Irish, 
greater benefit than they have before received from any and 
all public measures since the conquest. 

TV ^ ^ ^ TT 

There is a great deal of cant in this complaint of godless 
education, or the defect of religious instruction in schools, as 
Baptist Noel, Dr. Vaughan, and other distinguished English 
writers, have abundantly shown. It is not, of course, reli- 
gious instruction for a child to be drilled, year upon year, in 
spelling out the words of the Bible, as a reading book — it may 
be only an exercise that answers the problem how to dull the 
mind most effectually to all sense of the Scripture words, and 
communicate least of their meaning. Nay, if the Scriptures 
were entirely excluded from the schools, and all formal teach- 
ing of religious doctrine, I would yet undertake, if I could 
have my liberty as a teacher, to communicate more of real 
Christian truth to a Catholic and a Protestant boy, seated 
side by side, in the regulation of their treatment of each other, 
as related in terms of justice and charity, and their govern- 
ment as members of the school community, (where truth, or- 
der, industry and obedience are duties laid upon the con- 
science, under God,) than they will ever draw from any cate- 
chism, or have worn into their brain by dull and stammering 
exercise of a Scripture reading lesson. The Irish schools 
have a distinct Christian character, only not as distinct sec- 
tarian as if they were wholly Protestant or wholly Catholic. 
They are Christian schools, such as ours may be and ought 
to be, and, I trust, will be, to the latest generations, nor any 
the less so that they are common schools. 

Neither is it to be imagined or felt that religion has lost its 
place in the scheme of education, because the Scriptures are 
not read as a stated and compulsory exercise, or because the 
higher mysteries of Christianity as a faith or doctrine of sal- 
vation, are not generally taught, but only the Christian rules 



42 

of conduct, as pertaining to the common relations of duty 
under God. What is wanting may still be provided for, only- 
less adequately, in other places ; at home, in the church, or in 
lessons given by the clergy. It is not as when children are 
committed to a given school, like the Girard College, for ex- 
ample, there to receive their whole training, and where, if it 
excludes religion, they have no religious training at all. 

Ale -^ -ik 4k ■il' 

^ TT' "?«■ ^ ^ 

It can not be said by any, the most prejudiced critic, that our 
conduct as a people, to strangers and men of another religion, 
has not been generous and free beyond any former example in 
the history of mankind. We have used hospitality without 
grudging. In one view it seems to be a dark and rather mys- 
terious providence, that we have thrown upon us, to be our 
fellow-citizens, such multitudes of people, depressed, for the 
most part, in character, instigated by prejudices so intense 
against our religion. But there is a brighter and more hope- 
ful side to the picture. These Irish prejudices, embittered by 
the crushing tyranny of England, for three whole centuries 
and more, will gradually yield to the kindness of our hospi- 
tality, and to the discovery that it is not so nuich the Prot- 
estant religion that has been their enemy, as the jealousy and 
harsh dominion of conquest. God knows exactly what is 
wanting, both in us and them, and God has thrown us to- 
gether that, in terms of good citizenship, and acts of love, 
we may be gradually melted into one homogeneous people. 
Probably no existing form of Christianity is perfect — the 
Romish we are sure is not — the Puritan was not, else why 
should it so soon have lost its rigors? The Protestant, more 
generally viewed, contains a wider variety of elements, but 
these too seem to be waiting for some process of assimulation 
ihat shall weld them finally together. Therefore God, we 
may suppose, throws all these diverse multitudes, Protestant 
and Catholic, together, in crossings so various, and a fer- 
ment of experience so manifold, that he may wear us into 
some other and higher and more complete unity, than we are 
able, of ourselves and by our own wisdom, to settle. Let us 
look lor this, proving all things, and holding fast that which 
is good, until the glorious result of a perfected and compre- 
hensive Christianity is made to appear, and is set up here for 
a sign to all nations. 

Extract from the Westminster Review for July, 1853, in 
answer to the charge of the schools being Godless : 

" Godless has both a negative and a positive signification, 
and the artful writer can easily use it in one sense, so as to 
satisfy and cheat his own conscience, while he intends thai 



43 

his readers shall swallow it in the other. An academy that 
teaches writing and cyphering without regard to any otVier 
branches of learning, moral or intellectual, may in a certain 
sense be called " godless," just as a tavern bill may be called 
'• godless" b'^cause in addition to its various items, it does not 
contain a form for grace before or after meat. Precisely in 
this sense, which conveys no reprehension whatever, may a 
secular system be called " godless," and the sectarian dema- 
gogue who employs the word is to a certain extent correct. 
But he knows very well that his hearers will supply the other 
active meaning of ' impious,' ' anti-religious,' and so forth,'* 
<fcc., &c. 

Extracts from the New Englander for April, 1848, a relig- 
ious Quarterly Review published at New Haven, Conn. 

THE PEOPOSED SUBSTITUTION OF SECTARIAN FOR PUBLIC 

SCHOOLS. 

"In the last number of our last volume, in a note to an ar- 
ticle on 'The common school controversy in Massachusetts,' 
we annoimced our intention to give a distinct consideration to 
the subject of 'parochial schools' — by which phrase we mean 
church schools — schools under the direction, control, and sup- 
port of religious sects or denominations. 

" This subject has, of late, been urged on the public atten- 
tion in various ways. For many years past, in this country, 
several religious denominations have manifested not a little 
uneasiness at the prevalent common school system, because it 
excludes (as from its nature it must) all distinctively sectarian 
religious instruction ; and have evinced a desire to have schools 
which would be under their exclusive supervision. The Ro- 
man (catholics almost universally, * * * have opposed the at- 
tendance of children of that denomination upon the public 
schools ; and have, in some instances, requested or demanded 
a portion of the public school money for the support of Roman 
Catholic schools. Episcopal conventions and Episcopal bish- 
ops in then- charges, have recommended the establishment of 
Episcopal schools, especially those of a higher grade. The 
section of the Presbyterian church, called ' old school' in their 
periodicals, at meetings of Presbyteries and synods ; and for a 
tew years past, at the annual meetings of their General Assem- 
bly, have given earnest consideration to the subject of ' paro- 
chial schools.' The able Secretary of the Assembly's Board 
of Education, (Rev. Cortland Van Rensselaer) has been un- 
wearied in urging the matter upon the attention of the eccle- 
siastical bodies, and of the members of that church. The 
General Assembly have listened, year after year, to elaborate 
reports from committees appointed to investigate the subject. 



44 

and to recommend appropriate plans, ways, and means. . And 
they have expressed ' their firm conviction that the interests 
of the chiM'ch and the glory of the Redeemer demand, that 
immediate and strennous efforts be made, as far as practicable, 
by every congregation, to establish within its bonnds one or 
more primary schools.' Circulars have been addressed, in the 
name of the General Assembly, to all the Presbyteries and 
Sessions of that church, urging action according to this recom- 
mendation, and calling upon all to contribute by annual col- 
lections, and, as individuals may be disposed, by donations 
and legacies, to form and maintain a Presbyterian school ex- 
tension fund, for the suppon of Presbyterian schools within 
the limits of feeble churches. And to the Assembly's Board 
of Education is committed the care of this fund, and the gen- 
eral supervision and direction of the schools thereby organized 
and sustained. 

" Meanwhile the Congregationalists have not been uninter- 
ested spectators of this movement among their Presbyterian 
brethren. Some among them have approved it, and have been 
disposed to encourage one of similar character within their 
own communion. At the last meeting of the General Asso- 
ciation of Congregational ministers in one of the New Eng- 
land States, a paragraph was introduced into the annual report 
or circular on the state of religion, commending in high terms 
the system of church schools, brought to the notice of the As- 
sociation by the report of the delegate from the old school 
General Assembly. The paragraph, however, excited deci- 
ded, and so far as appeared, general disapprobation, and was 
immediately stricken out. * * * » 

" The thoughts, which we have long been maturing on this 
subject, we shall endeavor to present in a series of distinct;^ 
yet closely related, observations. 

"I. The two systems of popular education, the common 
school system, and the church school system, cannot prosper- 
ously coexist, if indeed they can coexist at all. 

J/, 4^ 4^ ^ ^ 

-J^ -K" TV ^ ^" 

"II. On the question, thus reduced, it is pertinent to say 
that, while the church school system is new and untried, — 
yet to be introduced and established, — the common school sys- 
tem is established, tried and funded. 

^ ^ ^ Af. Af, Vr ^ 

Tt - w "Tv- *«■ Tt* 'fr Tt- 

" III. The preceding course of thought, showing the ne- 
cessity of proving, and proving indubitably, the decided supe- 
riority of the church school system to the common school sys- 
tem, before any attempt can, with reason and propriety, be 
made to substitute the former for the latter, brings us to a com- 
parison of the merits of the two systems. 



45 

" And here, after no little investigation and consideration of 
the matter, we are impelled by our thorough convictions to 
take the position, that for the educational purposes and inter- 
ests of a country like ours, the tried and established system of 
common schools, instead of being inferior, is decidedly supe- 
rior in merit to any system of church or sectarian schools. If 
we were now to begin anew, the lormer ought to be chosen. 

■jk 4fe 4fe 4{f 4fe 

TV -3r -v5* ^ ^ 

"The right of the civil government, through its varions de- 
partments, to establish, support and regulate a system of com- 
mon schools, (and it is by the civil government that this usu- 
ally has been, and, for aught we s^e, must usually be, done,) 
this right being admitted, provided there is occasion for its ex- 
ercise, we are brought to consider the position already taken — 
the superiority of the established and tried common school sys- 
tem to the proposed substitute, the church school system. 

" 1. The common school system secures the general, we 
may say the universal, education of the people. The church 
school system would not. There would be a large number, 
who could not be reached by it, and who would grow up in 
ignorance. This is the first reason we offer to sustain our po- 
sition. 

"This is a truth, (we will prove it to be such presently,) 
whose importance cannot easily be exaggerated. Its impor- 
tance we do not here argue. That would be superfluous. If 
there be any man who now denies that knowledge is good, or 
that an elementary education at least, is necessary to make 
one a good citizen, ' he must,' as another has said, ' be looked 
upon as a fossil relic of a past world— an antediluvian — one 
who is born behind the time.' We do not expect to number 
any such man among our readers. It is not necessary here to 
prove t'le intimate connection between ignorance and vice, nor 
that knowledge and virtue are specially important and neces- 
sary for the citizens of a free country. A free people need the 
intelligence to discern the true amid the false, and the vir- 
tue to love and obey it. They must have the intelligence 
,to understand and defend their rights, and to retain in their 
own hand the exercise of their lawful powers, against all the 
machinations and arts of the ambitious, the designing, and 
the powerful. Despotism stands on popular ignorance ; 
freedom or popular intelligence and virtue. And no cunning 
or care of man can make them change foundations. Among 
an intelligent and virtuous people, freedom will, sooner or 
later, displace despotism. Among an ignorant people, des- 
potism will displace freedom. And for the security, much 
more for the prosperous working, of civil liberty, this intel- 



46 

ligence must be extended to the whole people. It must be 
diffused as widely as in the exercise of political sovereignty. 
Where almost every man over twenty-one years of age has 
a part in electing those who are to enact and execute laws, 
and make war or peace, it is unsafe to leave any such men, 
or their parents, or sisters, or any who form their character, 
or influence their conduct, without the enlightening and con- 
servative power of education. It is not enough for the rich 
to educate their children, if the children of the poor are left 
to ignorance. It will not avail for Protestants to educate 
their children, if the children of the Roman Catholics are 
left without knowledge and discipline. It will not avail for 
the members of churches and christian congregations to give 
their children instruction in good schools, if the children of 
those who care neither for Sabbaths nor sanctuaries, grow 
up untaught and ungoverned. The ballots of the one class 
weigh as much in the scales of the nations's destiny, as those 
of the other. They are all embarked in the same ship, to 
sink or swim together, and the ignorance and vice of a part 
endanger the prosperity and existence of the whole. 

" And this, by the way, seems to u< a strong argument to 
prove that a republican form of government, and a liberal 
extension of the elective franchise, are in accordance with 
the divine arrangement and pleasure ; for they tend more 
powerfully than do other forms of government and restricted 
suff'rage to this excellent end, — knowledge and goodness 
among the people ; since they lay on the community a strong 
constraint to educate and evangelize all its members. They 
use the powerful instinct of self-preservation in a nation, to 
compel it to give the means of knowledge and of grace to 
all its citizens. 

" That the common school system, if wisely and efficient- 
ly directed and supported, would secure the general, indeed 
we may say the universal, prevalence of elementary educa- 
tion, is no conjecture. We know it. We know it from the 
experience of the past. We know what it will do by what 
it has done. There is left no room for reasonable doubt on 
this point, by the fact, that, in those states wherein the 
common school system has anything like a wise and ener- 
getic administration, the elementary education of the native 
population is universal — that few persons indeed can be 
found, born and bred in those communities, who cannot read 
and write. It may be said, that the trial has not been suf- 
ficient or fair, since the population of these states has been, 
in the past, very unlike what it will be in the future, homo- 



47 

geneous. But it would be said without reason ; for there 
has been from the beginning a variety of races, the white, 
the red, and the black, and, after the first century, and ex- 
tensively for the last fifty years, a variety on the most im- 
portant matter of discrepancy, religious opinion, certainly a 
large variety of the protestant sects. True, we have not had 
in these states as many Roman Catholics as we expect in the 
future to have, through the channels of immigration ; and 
there has been, in many cases, and perhaps in a large pro- 
portion of cases, a refusal by Roman Catholics to allow their 
children to attend the common schools. But this refusal, 
we believe, has been owing mainly to a lack of due liberali- 
ty on the part of the directors and teachers of these schools 
toward Roman Catholics, — to the fact that they were not 
allowed to come into the schools on any other than a Protes- 
tant footing, — that their religious peculiarities have not had 
the same liberal treatment, which the religious peculiarities 
of Protestants have received, — to the fact, in a word, that it 
has been insisted^ unwisely and unfairly, as we think, that 
the common schools should be Protestant schools, and that, 
if the children of Roman Catholics came into them, they 
should conform to Protestant rules, and receive a Protestant 
education. Whenever the opposite principle has been adopt- 
ed, and acted upon long enough to banish jealousy and ex- 
cite confidence, there has been no difficulty in securing the 
attendance of Roman Catholic children.* And we antici- 

*[Here follow the proofs, offered by the reviewer, that if a system of liberality 
and justice be practised towards the Roman Catholics, they will send their chil- 
dren to the common schools. — Ed.] 

"Lowell, March 10, 1848. 

" Mif dear Sir, — Yours of the 4th inst. was duly received, with inquiries which 
I proceed to answer. 

" 1 . Do the children of our foreign or immigrant population, especially the 
Catholic portion of them, attend our public schools 1 

" In the first settlement of Lowell in 1822, owing to several causes, ♦,he Irish 
were collected and built their dwellings chiefly in one quarter, on a tract of land 
known ever since as the Acre. A large population was here gathered, destitute 
of nearly every means of moral and intellectual improvement. It was not to be 
expected that a community thus situated and neglected, so near a populous town 
of New England people, could be viewed with indifference; on the contrary, it 
would be watched with great anxiety and apprehension. Accordingly, by the 
advice and efforts of philanthropic persons, a room was soon rented and supplied 
with fuel and other necessaries, and a tencher placed there, who was remunera- 
ted by a small weekly voluntary tax, I think, six cents a weak for each child. — 
From the poverty and indifference of these parents, however, the school was al- 
ways languishing and became extinct. From time to time it revived, and then, 
after months of feebleness again failed. 

" At the annual town meeting in May, 1830, an article was inserted in the war- 
rant, for tlie appointment of a committee to " consider the expediency of estab- 
lishing a separate school for the benefit of the Irish population. A committee 
thus appointed, reported in April, 1831, in favor of such a school. This report 



48 

pate little difficulty in securing their general attendance in 
the future, whenever the jealousy and opposition, which have 
unwisely been excited among the Roman Catholics, shall be 
allayed by the adoption of the principle, manifestly reasona- 
ble and just, that in the common schools the religious pecu- 

was accepted by the town, and as our schools were then carried on in districts, 
the sum of fifty dollars was appropriated for the maintenance of a separate dis- 
trict school for the Irish. Here was the first municipal regulation relating to 
this matter, and the origin of the separation between the two races. The district 
school had many vicissitudes for three years, was kept only a part of the year as 
our other district schools were, and was often suspended because a suitable room 
could not be had. On the whole, it was unsatisfactory as in 1834. The Catho- 
lic priest here appears to have bean carrying on a private school under his 
church, which had been erected in this quarter. In 1835, this gentleman made 
formal application to the school committee for aid, and was present at several of 
their meetings. The result of these deliberations is thus detailed in the annual 
report of the school committee in March, 1836. 

" It is known to the citizens generally, that various fruitless attempts have 
been hitherto made to extend the benefits of our pnblic schools more fully to our 
Irish population. Those attempts have been hitherto frustrated, chiefly perhaps 
by a natural apprehension on the part of the parents and'pastors of placing their 
children under Protestant teachers, and in a measure also, by the mutual preju- 
dices and consequent disagreements among the Protestant and Catholic children 
themselves. Your committee have great pleasure in stating that these difiicul- 
tics appear to have been overcome, and the above most desirable object to have 
been finally accomplished. 

'* In June last. Rev. Mr. Conolly, of the Catholic church, applied to the com- 
mittee for such aid as they might be able to give to his exertions for the educa- 
tion and improvement of the children under fiis charge. The committee entered 
readily and fully into his views, and in subsequent interviews a plan was ma- 
tured and lias since been put into operation. On the part of the committee, the 
following conditions were Insisted on as indispensable, before any appropriation 
of the public money could be made : 

"' 1. That tiie instructors must be examined as to their qualifications by the 
committee, and receive their appointment from them. 

" ' 2. That the books, exercises and studies should be all prescribed and regu- 
lated by the committee, and that no other whatever should be taught or allowed. 

" ' 3. That these schools should be placed, as respects the examinations, in- 
spection and general supervision of the committee, on precisely the same footing 
with the otiier schools of the town. 

" ' On the part of Mr. Conolly it was urged that to facilitate his eflTorts, and to 
render the scheme acceptable to his parishioners, the instructors must be of the 
Catholic faith, and that the books prescribed should contain no statements of 
facts not admitted by that faith, nor any remarks reflecting injuriously upon 
their system of belief. These conditions were assented toby the committee ; the 
books in use in other public schools were submitted to his inspection, and were 
by him fully approved. On these principles there were established that year, 
three schools for the Irish.' 

" I have judged it necessary to give you these preliminary remarks, in order 
to explain our present position. By this mutual conciliation, we easily secured 
incalculable advantages ; and from these small beginnings have grown up a 
class of large and highly respectaole schools, gathered from our most degraded 
population. The Irish children may now be found in every school in the city in 
considerable numbers, even in our high school, while at the same time the sep- 
arate Irish schools are crowded to overflowing, chiefly because the latter are in 
the vicinity of our densest Irish population. 

" We have had occasionally a Catholic priest who has tried to interfere, but 
without success. It is now years since these schools have been for a moment 
disturbed. All jealousy seems so to have disappeared, that I find now that we 
have hut/our Catholic teachers in our employ, and these females, while we have 



49 

liarities of all denominations shall receive like treatment, 
and be alike free from invasion. 

"On ilie other hand, if, for this school system, which 
whenever fairly and efficiently administered, has secured, 
and manifestly will secure, the elementary education of the 

nitie schools of Irish children exclusively. The original condition has gradually 
and undesignedly been falling into neglect. The Irish parents, the more respec- 
table of them, attend the exhibitions of their children with great delight and 
pride. These separate Irish schools, in point of discipline, are admirable, and in 
attainments are quite respectable. 

" The number of Irish children, (and all our immigrants are Irish almost,) 
who have been members of our public schools the past year, I estimate at 1800. 
I have not the means of giving you the number of our Irish population ; and 
doubtless the nilmber of children of Irish parents who attend no school is large. 
In every city, this is a fearful element of danger to us, and cannot be viewed but 
with the greatest concern. We have, however, the consolation of believing that 
incalculable good is resulting to those who are drawn within the influence of 
Uiis great safeguard of our liberties. 

" 2. Are any, and how many deterred from attending the public schools, on 
religious grounds only 1 

" The number must be extremely small ; and if any, I could have no means 
of enumerating them. 

" I am, dear sir, respectfully and gratefully yours, 

"John O. Gkeen. 

" Hon. Horace Mann. 

" The second communication is from Fall River, Mass. We give the sub- 
stance of it. There are in that place fourteen public day-schools. The average 
attendance of each of these, for a week in March, 1848, is given, in figures ap- 
proximating the truth as near as practicable, and likewise the attendance, in 
each, of Roman Catholic children. The sura of the former is 1,149. The snm 
of the latter 209. Two hundred and nine Roman Catholic children, out of elev- 
en hundred and thirty-nine children in the public day-schools. 

" There are in the same town two Roman Catholic schools ; one taught under 
the eye of the priest, and partly charitable ; the other entirely of a private char- 
acter. The former averages sixty, the latter thirty pupils. These are all who 
are known to our informant to be ' deterred from attending the public schools, 
on religious grounds.' 

The third communication is from Boston. We quote the following. 

" ' I cannot say what portion of our foreign population attend our public schools, 
not knowing how many there are in the city. B'lt of 9,838 children in the pri- 
mary schools on the last day of January, 18 '.8, 4,644 were reported as of foreign 
parentage. This is by no means the whole number, as many teachers do not re- 
port how many they have, but say 'few,' 'a great many/ ' a large proportion,' 
' I cannot say how many,' &c. 

" ' Some of the children are Germans, English, &c., but the greater number 
arc undoubtedly Irish. 

"'I am not aware that any are kept away from our schools on religious 
grounds. I know one Roman Catholic priest who not only encourages the at- 
tendance of his children at our primary schools, but provides them with clothing 
and the necessary books, &c., to enable them to do so. He has been, or sent to 
mc many times for tickets of admission ; and I presume I have admitted thirty 
or forty children at his request within three months. I have to-day admitted 
five. He also occasionally goes into the schools, and sees that they attend, and 
appears to take much interest in their attending. He tells me that the Bishop 
and the clergy are friendly to our schools.' 

To this information we need not add any comments. It fully sustains our 
position, and is fitted greatly to gratify the friends of popular education and of 
our country. We are happy to be able to give it, and express hereby our obliga- 
tions to those who have communicated it to us. 



50 

whole people, we substitute the church or sectarian school 
system, the certain result will be, that many, very many of 
the people will not be educated at all — large masses will 
grow up untaught and undisciplined. 

" Of this truth a little examination and reflection will con- 
vince any one. In the first place, there is in this country, 
and even in those parts of it which have had the most and 
best religions culture, a large mass of people, (much larger 
than they who have not examined into the matter are aware, ) 
who do not belong to any religious denomination. All these 
would have a strong dislike of sectarian schools, whose 
avowed object is to train children in the doctrines and prac- 
tices of a particular denomination or sect of Christians. — 
Their children might, in some instances, be gathered into 
the church schools, by the benevolence and zeal of the teach- 
ers and patrons. But the instances would be few. The 
great majority would refuse to send their children, especially 
if, (as it must be to a greater extent and degree than under 
the common school system,) any payment should be required. 

"Then, again, some religious denominations, in all places, 
would have no schools, or schools inadequate to the number 
of the children belonging to them ; and yet would not, to 
any great extent certainly, send their children to the schools 
of other denominations. How is it now with Roman Cath- 
olic children, in places where, through jealousy of Protes- 
tant instruction, they are not sent to the common schools ? 
To a fearful extent, they are without any schools, growing 
up to maturity, — to the exercise of social influence and of 
popular sovereignty, — without instruction or discipline. — 
And vvho does not know, that the Roman Catholic church 
never has, in any country, secured, or favored, the education 
of all her people ; and that, in this country, she is not strong- 
ly disposed, and if she were, would be unable, such is the 
poverty of a large proportion of her members, to sustain 
schools adequate for the purpose. Nothing is more cetain, 
than that, between the invincible repugnance of that church 
to send her children to schools of other churches avowedly 
sectarian, and her indisposition and inability to maintain 
adequate schools of her own, large masses of her children 
would be left to ignorance with all its dangers, crimes and 
miseries. 

" The same would be the result to a large extent with 
other denominations. Few of any denomination have a 
sufiicient sense, and many may be said to have no sense at 
all, of the importance of education. In almost all, except 



51 

the large places of this country, some of the religious denom- 
inations are few in numbers, feeble in strength and scatter- 
ed in location, and yet none the less attached to their pecu- 
liarities, hardly able, often unable, and more often indisposed, 
properly to sustain their religious institutions. Now what 
is more certain, than that, in such cases, on the one hand 
they will have no schools of their own, or schools very in- 
sufficient for the necessities of children scattered here and 
there over a town three or five miles square, and that, on 
the other hand, they will not send their children to the 
schools of other denominations, established and sustained 
for instruction avowedly sectarian ? 

" With these views of the subject, — and we see not how 
any other can reasonably be taken, — we regard it as certain, 
that, if the system of church schools is substituted for the 
system of common schools, multitudes, even in portions of 
the country most favored, and much more in those least fa- 
vored, with moral and religious privileges, will grow up with- 
out the instruction and discipline of even an elementary ed- 
ucation. This is a result worthy to be seriously pondered 
by all, and especially by those who are disposed, with more 
or less earnestness, to introduce a church school system, 
which, if successful, will infallibly displace the common 
school system, and become the sole reliance for popular ed- 
ucation. 

" 2. We now call the attention of our readers to a sec- 
ond reason for our confident belief in the superiority of the 
common school to the proposed church school system. 

*• The church schools must, in many, the vast majority of 
cases, be inferior in character to the common schools. 

" A few words will suffice to make this plain. It is proved 
by a class of facts to which allusion has already been made, 
such as these, — the prevalent inadequate sense of the impor- 
tance of general education, and the consequent indisposition 
to contribute freely, much less with self-denial, for that end ; 
the minute sectarian divisions which exist in most places; 
and the widely distant residences of members of the same 
denomination in the same town. These facts, which do not 
materially affect the common schools, in which all can unite, 
are fatal, in avast majority of cases, to the excellence, if not 
the existence, of church schools, supported, each, solely or 
chiefly, by those of its own denomination. Any one acquaint- 
ed with these facts, as they exist in our country towns, will 
see in a moment, that church schools of a high order would 
generally be impracticable, and certainly, as men are, not to 



52 

be expected. In towns of from twelve to twenty-five hun- 
dred inhabitants divided into four or more religions denomi- 
nations, whose members are distributed over a surface four 
miles square, or three miles by five, who that knows with 
what difficulty, or reluctance, and insufficiency, they sup- 
port their religions institutions, does not know, that, if they 
attempted, in addition thereto, to support church schools, 
these schools would be very meagerly sustained, if sustained 
at all ; would very imperfectly accommodate the scattered 
members of the denomination, being at great distance from 
many of them ;. and would inevitably be of very inferior 
character ? Church schools in large cities, and one central 
church school for the ablest denominations in our largest 
towns, might be well sustained ; but, in all other cases, they 
must be of inferior merit, comparing very unfavorably with 
common schools, endowed, as they are, by state funds, attend- 
ed by the children, and possessing the interest and good will 
of the parents, of all denominations, and located so as to ac- 
commodate the inhabitants of every neighborhood. 

" How much better, then, to direct our zeal, wisdom, en- 
ergy and pecuniary liberality, to the improvement of our 
common schools, to secure to them generally, that high de- 
gree of perfection, of which, in many instances, they have, 
by experiment been proved capable, than to direct these 
forces to the establishment of church schools, which, if gen- 
erally established, will destroy common schools, and will be, 
after all, of very inferior character. 

" 3. We have another reason for our decided preference 
of the common school, to the church school system. It is 
in accordance with the nature and necessities of our free in- 
stitutions, with the comprehensive character of Christianity, 
and with the liberal spirit of the age. 

" The influence of the church school system, on ths other 
hand, will be sectarian, divisive, narrow, clannish, anti-re- 
publican, 

" This we regard as a very weighty and decisive reason. 
It needs, however, little amplification. The bare statement 
of it is almost sufficient. Its truth and force are at once 
seen. The reality and character of these diverse tendencies 
of the two school systems, are perceived at a glance. 

" It is unnecessary to dwell upon the importance of assim- 
ilating the people of this country, — of making them one in 
character and in spirit, and of the value of institutions and 
influences for this end ; of which educational institutions 
and influences are most practical and powerful. This assim- 



ilation and unity of character and spirit are important in all 
nations, but especially in a nation politically free or self-gov- 
erned, Avhere all are equal in civil rights, where there are so 
many comnnon privileges, duties and responsibilities, and 
where the sovereignty ultimately rests in the whole people. 
The value of educational institutions and influences, having 
this assimilating and uniting tendency, as have common 
schools eminently, cannot be easily exaggerated in their re- 
lation to our native population, and especially in their rela- 
tion to our immigrant population. As they come hither 
from all sections, nations and religions of Europe, it is im- 
portant that their children should be neither uneducated, r>or 
educated by themselves, — that they find here educational 
institutions for the whole people, which will command their 
confidence, and secure the attendance of their children. 
The children of this country, of whatever parentage, should, 
not wholly, but to a certain extent, be educated to^-eihc}', — 
be educated, not as Baptists or Methodists, or Episcopalians, 
or Presbyterians ; not as Roman Catholics or Protestants ; 
still less as foreigners in language or spirit ; but as Ameri- 
cans, as made of one blood, and citizens of the same free 
country, — educated to be one harmonious people. This, the 
common school system, if wisely and liberally conducted, is 
well fitted, in part at least, to accomplish. While it does 
not profess to give a complete education, and allows ample 
opportunity for instruction and training in denominational 
peculiarities elsewhere, it yet brings the children of all sects 
together, gives them, to a limited extent, a common or like 
education, and, by such education, and by the commingling, 
acquaintance and fellowship which it involves, in the early, 
unprejudiced and impressible periods of life, assimilates and 
unites them. And it is with serious regret that we see it 
recommended, and zealously urged, to substitute for this 
common school system, a system of dividing children into 
sectarian schools for the avowed purpose of teaching them 
sectarian peculiarities, — a system which is fitted to lay deep 
in the impressible mind of childhood the foundations of di- 
visions and alienations, — a system well fitted to drive the 
children of foreigners, and especially of Roman Catholics, 
into clans by themselves, where ignorance and prejudice re- 
specting the native population, and a spirit remote from the 
American, and hostile to the Protestant, will be fostered in 
them. 

" It is with great pleasure that we have witnessed, for 
4 



54 

some years, influences, and movements, fitted and intended 
to wear off the sharpness of sectarian distinctions ; to open 
and reduce the walls of sectarian division ; and to soften sec- 
tarian asperity, — fitted to convince men that all truth and 
wisdom are not in their sect ; to help them to see whatever 
is excellent in other denominations ; and to dispose them, 
while retaining an attachment to their own peculiarities, to 
place a paramount value upon the great truths in which all 
true Christians agree, and to unite in common enterprises and 
endeavors to promote the great objects of a common Chris 
tianity. And it is with mortification and impatience that we 
now see a movement virtually to subvert our common 
schools, so beneficent for purposes of unity and harmony, on 
the ground that they are not sufficiently sectarian, — that they 
do not admit sectarian instruction, — will not allow, as text- 
books, the Westminster and Church (Episcopal) Catechisms- 
Must we, then, carry our sectarianism into everything 7 
Can there nhi be one of the many spheres of educational in- 
fluence, where all may meet as on common ground ? Must 
our children be all distributed into denominational quar- 
ters and shut up therein, for fear they will, for a few hours 
of the day, lack the teaching of our sectarian peculiarities : 
Is there nothing, not even a day-school, which we may un- 
dertake without the Westminster Catechism, or the Book of 
Common Prayer ? Must we carry into everything our sec- 
tarian manuals, and utter everywhere our sectarian shibbo- 
leths ? Verily, we had been encouraged to hope for better 
things. Verily, this is a backward movement, a narrowing 
and belittling operation, in this age of growing Christian un- 
ion and charity, which we vehemently dislike. 

"IV. The preceding course of argument fully evinces 
the duty of good citizens to sustain the common schools 
rather than introduce the church schools, provided the va- 
rieties of religious belief in our communities do not render 
any safe and valuable system of instruction in the former im- 
practicable. 

" This brings us to the great, and, so far as appears, the 
only objection to the common school system, — the religious 
objection. ' If, (say many,) we must give up the teaching 
of our religious doctrines in common schools, then give us 
parochial schools. Deliver us from an irreligious education 
for the young.' We have no doubt that some good and able 
men, not illiberal, or especially given to sectarianism, have, 
by such views and feelings, been led to look with favor on 
the church school movement. Our own state of mind was 



65 

for a time such that we are enabled to appreciate their views 
and feelings. And if it had not been, their character and 
general aims would preclude us from speaking of them oth- 
erwise than with respect and affection. We feel entire con- 
fidence, however, that a full investigation of the subject, a 
fair consideration of the. views which have convinced us, 
will remove their anxieties concerning the common school 
system, and confirm them in its support. 

" To this objection we would give such consideration as 
the character of those who indulge it, and its relations to 
our subject require. And we express, at the outset, our 
strong conviction that, while many theoretical difficulties 
may easily be called up and set in array ; yet, if the several 
religious denominations will act with an enlightened public 
spirit, with an earnest desire for the promotion of the com- 
mon weal by general education, and with the exercise of 
even a moderate degree of candor, liberality, and courtesy, 
toward each other, the practical difficulties will be found 
very few and small. 

" We begin by admitting in full, if necessary we will con- 
tend for, the principle, that, in common schools, schools un- 
der state and civil patronage, all religious denominations 
should stand on the same footing, should receive impartial 
treatment, and should all be protected from the invasion of 
their religious peculiarities. The opposite principle which 
has been so extensively adopted in the discussion of this 
subject, that in this country the state or civil power is Chris- 
tian and Protestant, and therefore that schools sustained and 
directed in part thereby are Christian and Protestant, and 
that whoever attends them has no right to object to a rule 
requiring all to study Christian and Protestant books and 
doctrines, we w^holly disbelieve and deny. The state, the 
civil power in whatever form in this country, is no more 
Protestant, or Christian, than it is Jewish or Mohammedan. 
It is of no religion whatever. It is simply political, inter- 
posing, or having the right to interpose, in matters of reli- 
gion, only by protecting its citizens in the free exercise of 
their religion, whatever it be : of course, excepting such vi- 
olations of civil rights, or civil morality, as any may commit 
under pretence, or a fanatical sense, of religion. If a com- 
pany of Mohammedans should take up their residence in one 
of our New England towns, they would be entitled freely to 
build their mosque, and to exercise their worship therein ; 
and entitled, also, as citizens, should they become citizens, 
to participate in the privileges of the common schools, on 



56 

the same ground with others, — entitled to the same consid- 
eration of their religious peculiarities, either by having a sep- 
arate school or otherwise, which the peculiarities of other 
religious denominations receive. Such is the principle of 
our political institutions oji this subject. And such it ought 
o be. This only is in accordance with that entire religious 
liberty which is recognized by the constitution of the Uni- 
ted States, This only fully guarantees the rights of con- 
science, and the free, unconstrained exercise of private judg- 
ment in sacred things. This best promotes the general in- 
terests, religious as well as civil and social. And this alone 
accords with the nature of true religion ; which is not and 
cannot be exercised by a corporation or state as such, but 
only by individuals, acting in their several spheres, public 
and private, — is not, and cannot be a corporation or state af- 
fair, but an affair of the individual soul, between that soul 
on the one hand and God and men on the other. Accord- 
ing to all just ideas of religion, a state religion is an absurdi- 
ty, a self-contradiction. 

" Let us not be misunderstood. A majority of the people 
of this country are undoubtedly Christian and Protestant. 
And therefore, the country is properly called Christian and 
Protestant. Moreover, they who are chosen to enact and 
execute our laws are bound, under their responsibility as in- 
dividual men. to be Christians, and to act in all their public 
duties each under the influence of christian principle. This 
truth cannot be too thoroughly enforced and felt. But the 
state, as a state, is simply political; — is of no religious de- 
nomination, or religion, whatever, any more than a bank or 
an insurance company; — is such as to forbid the holding of 
its offices, and the performance of its duties, no more by in- 
fidels, Mohammedans, Jews, or Roman Catholics, than by 
Christians and Protestants. It is, and ought to be, such that 
all political privileges and all civil advantages afforded there- 
by, are accessible and available to all alike of whatever reli- 
gion. The sooner Christians, generally understand and ac- 
knowledge this truth, the better, — the better for their own 
satisfaction, comfort and hope, and the better for their influ- 
ence on the general interests." ***** 

" We fully admit, and if necessary, would strenuously 
contend that, of a complete education, the religious instruc- 
tion and influence is an essential part, and far the most im- 
portant part ; and that it should be given in all the periods 
of a child's life. Any educational instruction, therefore, 
which assumes for any considerable period, the whole edu- 



57 

cation and training of a child or youth, like Girard College, 
or Dr. Arnold's Bugby School, or the many family schools 
in this country for boys or misses ; and yet gives no reli- 
gious instruction and training, is justly said to give an irre- 
ligious and godless education. But to say the same of a 
day-school which gives only secular instruction, — instruction 
that does not discredit or interfere with, but prepares the 
v/ay for and indirectly aids, religion, during only four or six 
hours in the day, avowedly leavmg religious instruction to 
other and better teachers, is palpably illogical and unfair. 
What would be thought of a general application of such 
logic ? A boy, who lives in his father's family, is employed 
six hours a day in a mechanic's manufactory, or in a mer- 
chant's store, or in a bank, but he receives, during those 
hours, no direct doctrinal or theological teachhig ; there- 
fore that employment is irreligious, and the manufactory, 
the store and the bank are atheistic ! A young man attends 
a course of chemical lectures, but in those lectures hears no 
theolegical or biblical teaching ; therefore, his chemical in- 
struction is irreligious, and the chemical lectures are atheis- 
tic ! A young man becomes a member of a medical school, 
or a law school, but he hears from the professors of medicine 
or law no theological instruction ; therefore, the medical 
school or the law school is irreligious and atheistic ! Plain- 
ly, in education, as well as in other things, there must be, — 
certainly there may be, a division of labor ; and secular 
teaching may be the exclusive department, — it must be the 
chief department, — of the day-school ; while religious teach- 
ing IS provided in other and better ways. And religious 
teaching may be none the less religious, because it is not 
given by the individual who teaches reading, writing and 
arithmetic ; and the teaching in the department of reading, 
writmg and arithmetic, should not be accounted irreligious 
and atheistic because it is not conjoined or combined with 
theological teaching. 

" Very little jealousy has been encountered with regard to 
religious influence in the common schools of New England. 
Almost uniformly, in the country towns, the ministers of 
the different denominations are the prominent members of 
the school committee and board of visiters ; and they usu- 
ally find no difficulty, when on their visits, in communica- 
ting whatever religious instruction, and in using whatever 
religions influence, their judgment approves. 

" If there should be districts, as probably there would be 
a few, in which the members of different religious denomi- 



68 

nations, not satisfied with the teaching of the common Chris- 
tianity, shonld insist on the teaching of their distinctive doc- 
trines, even ^o let it be. Let each scholar read or study his 
own Bible, and his own catechism. The pupils might, if it 
should be thought most convenient and wise, when the time 
for religious instruction arrived, be classified for this purpose, 
— the Roman Catholics, with their Douay or Catholic ver- 
sion of the Bible, and catechism, in one class : the Episco- 
palians, with their Church of England catechism, in anoth- 
er ; the Presbyterians, or Congregationalists, with their cat- 
echisms, in another ; and the Methodists and Baptists, with 
their doctrinal manuals, each in another ; and if there should 
be other varieties, let them be classed accordingly. We 
think the working of this would be admirable. It would be 
a spectacle of unity in diversity, very pleasant to see. It 
would form an early habit of agreeing to disagree, and of 
respecting each the religious peculiarities and associations of 
the other, which, without danger, would tend greatly to 
charity and harmony in after life. We know this is practi- 
cable ; for we have seen it practised for many years in a se- 
lect school. We well recollect, that in our early days we 
attended for many years,, an excellent private school, in 
which, every Saturday forenoon, we received religious in- 
struction on the elective affinity principle. We studied and 
recited our Westminster Catechism side by side with anoth- 
er who studied and recited the Church Catechism. And we 
well remember our boyish grievance in having so much the 
longest lesson. 

^ jf. jf. jf. ^ ^ ^ 

"The day-school is, indeed, a powerful auxiliary to reli- 
gion, in the way of preparation. It teaches elementary 
knowledge, and gives the power of studying the Bible and 
other religious books. It disciplines the intellectual facul- 
ties. It disciplines the will, and the moral feelings. By a 
proper government, it teaches and necessitates subordination 
to superiors, subjugation of self-will and self-indulgence, re- 
gard for truth, control of temper, industrious, patient and 
persevering application, and that reverence for the Dejty and 
sacred things, and those universal principles of morals, in 
which all agree. In a word, the daily discipline of a school, 
and the incidental moral teaching it implies, work right prin- 
ciples into the minds of the pupils, and that in the perma- 
nent form of habits. So that the day-school is an important 
preparative and aid, to religious teaching. But its direct 
religious or doctrinal instruction, when attempted, is of very 



59 

little value, if it is not, as we think it is on the whole, worse 
than nothing. Of course there are manifest and decided ex- 
ceptions, — in the case of teachers of peculiar piety, and com- 
petency for religious instruction. But this does not invali- 
date the general truth ; which is attested by enlightened ob» 
servation — the observation of those acquainted with private 
schools in which religious instruction is attempted, (for, as 
we have said, there has been almost none in our public 
schools.) and by the observation of those who have been fa- 
miliar with the national schools of Great Britain, where some- 
what thorough religious teaching is required. Some testi- 
mony of this latter kind we will adduce, 

"The Hon. and Rev. Baptist W. Noel, whom our readers 
know as an able and evangelical clergyman of the church of 
England, in a report, which, as an inspector of schools, 
he addressed to the Committee of Council on Education, af- 
ter having spent two months in visiting 195 schools, writes 
thus — we have room for only a short extract. — 'But it was 
in their understanding of the Scriptures, daily read, that I 
regretted to find the most advanced children of the national 
schools so extremely defective. Not only were they often 
ignorant of the principal facts recorded in the Bible, but they 
could not answer even the simplest questions upon the 
chapters which they had most recently read. Nor was thei- 
religious ignorance lessened by their knowledge of the cat- 
echism. I several times examined the first class upon a por- 
tion of the catechism, and I never once found them to com- 
prehend it. * * * Both in reading the scriptures to the mon- 
itors, and in repeating the catechism, the children showed a 
marked inattention and wearmess, occasionally varied, when 
the master's eye was not on them, by tokens of roguish mer- 
riment. * * * Being thus made the medium through which 
reading and spelling are taught, it (the Bible) becomes assor 
ciated ni their minds with all the rebukes and punishments 
to which bad reading, or false spelling, or inattention in class 
exposes them ; and it is tvell if being thus used for pvrposes 
never designed, it do 7iot become permanently the symbol of 
all that is irksome and repulsive.^ 

'- Equally decisive, and more directly to the confirmation 
of our position, is the testimony of Dr. Vaughan. — ' For our 
own part, we have always entertained a very lovV- opinion 0/ 
the religious instruction given in day-schools, and of the re- 
ligious impression produced by it. We have thought that a 
fuss has been made about it wonderfully greater than the 
thing itself would justify. It has reminded us too mnch of 



60 

our Oxford religionists, who would pass for being very pious 
because prayers are read in the college chapel every morning. 
We admit most readily, that the training of a good day-school 
may prepare a young mind for receiving religious lessons 
with advantage from the lips of a parent, a Sunday school 
feacher, or a minister ; but the man must have been a sorry 
observer of day-schools, who can regard the religious instruc- 
tion obtained there as being, while existing alone, of any 
great value.'* 

" * But while I believe many pious persons are most hon- 
est in their demands on this point, and while I admit that 
many teachers in daily schools do their best to give a reli- 
gious cast to their instructions, I am still obliged to repeat, 
that I have a very humble opinion of the direct religious in- 
struction which is given in day-schools, or that can ever be 
giveu in such institutions. Nor do I speak without expe- 
rience on this subject. I have served more than one appren- 
ticeship in the superintendence of schools on the British sys- 
tem, and the great benefit of such schools, I have always 
found to consist, not in any direct religious uupression pro- 
duced by them, but in their adaptation to prepare the young 
for receiving religious instruction with advantage elsewhere. 
My experience, in this respect, must be, I feel assured, that 
of a great majority of persons who have been observant of 
the working of day-schools; In other departments, men 
soon become alive to the advantages of a divison of labor ; 
and why should not popular education partake of benefit 
from such arrangements ? Why might not one part of edu- 
cation be given by the schoolmaster, another by the parent, 
by the minister of religion, or by the Sunday school teacher? 
Does religion cease to be a part of education, because not 
taught by the person who teaches reading and arithmetic ? 
In fact, is there not danger that sacred things may lose some- 
thing of their sacredness by being mixed up with the rough 
and often noisy routine of a day-school ? One would think 
that to give religion a place apart after this manner, and to 
approach it with a special seriousness, would be to secure at- 
tention to it, only the more becoming and promising. Sure 
I am, there are many considerate and devout persons who 
would prefer such a method purely on account of its better 
religious tendency. Let the day-school inculcate a rever- 
ence of truth and justice, and a love of everything kind, 
generous and noble-hearted, and let the directly religious in- 
struction be grafted upon such teaching, and it will be the 

♦The British Quarterly Review, Vol. IV, p. 27 J.. 



Gl 

fault of the agents, and not the method, if you do not realise 
a scheme of popular education of the highest value. Nor can 
I doubt that the intermixture of the children, of all sects, in 
such schools, would tend to abate our sectarian animosities, 
and render the next generation, in that lespect, on nnprove- 
ment on the past.'* 

" Here we leave the subject. It is one in which we feel the 
deepest interest : for it is one, we believe, of great moment. 
We earnestly commend our reasonings and conclusions to 
public attention. They seem to us not only true, but timely. 
There has been manifested, of late, a growing disposition to 
dishonor and abandon our noble and beneficent system of 
common schools, and to substitute for it a system of sectarian 
schools, which must be inferior in character, and, (what is 
more important,) cannot perform the work which common 
schools, Vv^hen wisely and energetically administered, perform 
so well, the vital work o( general education, of educating the 
whole people, — a system, moreover, hostile to social and civil 
harmony. We cannot but think that if the subject is fau'ly 
placed before the public mind, this movement will be arrested. 
We hope, — perhaps it is hoping against hope, — that our Pres- 
byterian brethren (old school) who have recommended and 
commenced the movement, will recede. Certainly we hope 
that no other denomination will follow tbeir example. Far 
distant be the day,— LET IT NEVER COME,— when, in 
our beloved New England, the time-tested and time-honored 
common school system shall be abandoned, or weakened. 
Rather let renewed, persevering and united efforts be put forth 
to give it universally that perfection, of which it is capable, 
and which already, in many places, it has nearly attained." 

Extract from a very able report upon Parochial Schools, by 
Rev. G. Van Rensselear, from the annual report of the Board 
of Education of the Presbyterian church, for the year 1853. 

The next position in the line of argument, is that the re- 
quired religious training must be given in schools, as well 
as in families. 

In the progress of civilization, schools have been more and 
more relied upon for the purposes of instruction ; and their 
agency in promoting religious education is an important fam- 
ily auxiliary. Schools are necessary and useful, 

1st. Because the family is not^ of itself^ siifirient for reli- 
gious any more than for secular education. l-iducation is a 
work by itself; it cannot be all done to advanta:^c within the 
boundaries of home. A child may indeed obtain the rudi- 

♦Letter to the editor of the Morning Chronicle, on the question of popular educa- 
tion. 



62 

meiits of knowledge under parental instruction, and especial- 
1}'' may acquire the moral habits and discipline which enter 
so thoroughly into the composition of a virtuous and well-bal- 
anced character. But progress from attainment to attainment 
must be sought in connexion with higher opportunities. 
Schools are expedients to| carry forward home nurture. As 
the ideas of secular knowledge, derived merely from house- 
hold intercourse and training, are not enough for all the pur- 
poses of an active and useful life, so the religious instruction, 
inculcated under similar circumstances, is not so complete as 
to dispense with the necessity of confirming and increasing it 
by other arrangements. On the contrary, so great a work 
needs all the advantages of which it can possibly avail itself. 
And the advantages of the school-room are neither few nor 
small, both for secular and religions instruction. The public 
prayer, the reading of Scripture, the songs of Zion, the verses 
in the Bible committed to memory, the catechetical exercise- 
the oral exhortation, all assist in forming the religious char- 
acter, just as reading, writing, and arithmetic improve the 
mind. The family, of itself, cannot wholly conduct the 
course of education, at least, in ordinary circumstances. The 
very existence of schools expresses household insufficiency. 
Education, above a certain point, must rely upon aid beyond 
that which parents can supply. 

It is common to exalt the Sabbath-school as an important 
help to parents in religious education. In many respects it 
unquestionably is so. But, on the same principle, parochial 
schools, during the six days of the week, are much more effi- 
cient allies, because more regular, steady, and thorough in 
their inculcation. The geatest aid which the family has ever 
received in forming the character of the young, is the Chris- 
tian day-school, including the academy and the college. In 
the progessive course of religious study, from the catechism, 
hymns, and Bible history, to the evidences of Christianity, 
natural theology, and Butler's Anatomy, the student derives 
the most important advantages to mind, and heart, and con- 
science. The religious training of Christian institutions is 
among the choicest blessings of an advanced social state. 
Such institutions will always be invaluable auxiliaries to 
the domestic constitution, and will contribute to promote 
religious as well as secular knowledge. Education is so 
much a business by itself, that it cannot wisely surrender 
the precious opportunities aflbrded by public schools. 

2. The religious training of the young, enjoined by God, 
must be given in schools, because the great majority of compe- 
tent parents have not sufficient time to devote to the object. — 
Toil and labor by " the sweat of the brow" are the doom of 
the race. Neither fathers nor mothers have much time at 



63 

command during the day. The public duties of life, and the 
domestic duties of the household, occupy a prominence which 
prevents the requisite attention to this important subject. As a 
matter of fact, professional men, farmers, merchants, mechan- 
ics, and others, are called away from their homes, from morn- 
ing to evening ; and there are few mothers, whose domestic 
cares and engagements allow the necessary intervals to do 
according to their heart's desire. So that even competent pa- 
rents instinctively look to the teachers in schools, as the per- 
sons whom Providence substitutes in their place, to take part 
in the education of their children. There is a necessity for 
religious schools, growing out of the principle of the division 
of labor. 

"3. Moreover, multitudes of parents are utterly incompe- 
tent to the task of giving religious instruction. The majority 
of families feel no personal responsibilities in regard to reli- 
gious training. Their hearts are under the influence of the 
god of this world. Unconcerned about the things of their 
peace, they suffer their children to grow up in like ignorance 
and delusion. The voice of private or of family prayer is nev- 
er heard. The Scriptures are a sealed book. The Sabbath 
is not sanctified. The general neglect of personal religion 
throws its shade of gloom on the olive plants around the ta- 
ble, and the whole family influence is ' of the earth, earthy.' 
Whether the children of such households ought to be left to 
the awful disadvantages entailed upon them, is a question 
which Christianity is prompt to answer. If there is any worth 
in the human soul ; any necessity of repentance to the ungod- 
ly ; any love for our neighbor, ' for whom christ died ;' any 
responsibility to God, Christians cannot remain unmoved in 
the midst of surrounding spiritual desolation. Every agency 
which zeal in the cause of Christ can devise, should be put 
into requisition to supply wants so severe and wide-spread. — 
The organization of religious day-schools is, of all others, the 
agency best suited to remedy the evil. Such schools would 
well supply the daily deficiency, and bring religion into con- 
tact with the youthful mind in a hopeful and effectual way. 
Many parents, who make no pretension to piety, prefer to have 
their children taught religion in schools. But however di- 
verse might be the wishes of such parents, the fact of their 
acknowledged incompetency to teach their children the things 
pertaining to God, creates the obligation on the part of the 
Church to attempt to accomplish the object in some other way ; 
and no way is so effectual as schools, imbued with the spirit 
and principles of religion. 

" 4. This leads to the remark that all experience shows 
the insufficiency of other agencies, and the value of the one 
under consideration. All churches, even with all forms of er- 



64 

ror, have depended, in teaching rehgion. on the school as an 
essential means of sustaining their miiuence and hfe. 
■^ ^ i^ ^ ^ 

" III. Adequate rehgious education can only he given in 

SCHOOLS WHICH ARE UNDER THE CONTROL OF TUE (JhURCH. 

The State and other schools sometimes inculcate rehgion ; 
but this occurs only under specially favorable circumstances, 
and even then not often to the desired extent, 
. " 1. One reason why a thorough rehgious training can on- 
ly be given to the schools under ecclesiastical care is, because 
in none other can Christians choose the teacher, or determine 
the course of instruction. It is obvious that the character of 
schools depends altogether upon the matter taught, and the 
persons teaching. 

#^^ -V- ^f* -^ •/, ^ 

•??••?!" vr -/V- 'A* w 

"2. Even if religion were universally regarded as a proper 
subject for the school, the prevalent diversity of opinion, and 
sectarian jealousy, must prevent the adoption of any efficient 
system of religious instruction. These difficulties may be 
principally classed under two divisions ; those which arise 
from the doctrmal diversities of evangelical churches, and 
those occasioned by infidelity and Romanism. It would be 
no easy matter to reconcile evangelical Christians to the adop- 
tion of a common platform of scriptural teaching. And even 
if this could be done, what rational hope would there be of an 
acquiescence in evangelical doctrine by the infidels of all class- 
es, and the unvarying class of Romanists? Even the reading 
of the Bible in the public schools is becoming more and more 
difficult, not only on account of the Douay version but of the 
new Baptist version. 

^- ^- ^ ^ * 

" IV. The two systems of parochial and of State schools 
may, and ought to, coexist. The one, under present circum- 
stances, supplements the other. 

" 1. The friends of parochial schools desire the utmost ef- 
ficiency to be given to the State system. 

^^Pirst, because there are thousands of children who can- 
not be otherwise reached. In many districts, the sparseness 
of population will not admit of more than one school ; and in 
others, the question is, at least, a doubtful one. The State 
h s advantages under such circumstances which should be 
fairly acknowledged. It is far better that the children should 
be educated on some plan which brings them all together, 
and which is practical in common advantages, however small, 
than that the neighborhood should be left in i2;norance, or be 
agitated by hopeless contention. 

^ w -?^ -vr 



65 

" iS'eco/ic?Zy, because secular education, with the minimum 
of moral and religious instruction, and with other facilities for 
receiving the latter, is a blessing. Ignorance and debasement 
commonly go hand in hand. Mental darkness too often in- 
tercepts light to the moral faculties. The most hopeless of 
all communities are those where ignorance abounds, with its 
attendant ills. The Gospel is hindsred in its power by com- 
ing in contact with minds incapable of appreciating truth, and 
of attending to its just conclusions. A great deal has been 
said, and said truly, of the danger of educating a people in- 
tellectually, without regard to their morals and religion. All 
such statements are strong pleas for Christian schools. But 
it does not necessarily follow that, in the absence of religion 
in schools, it would be better, in the condition of our country, 
to leave the people uneducated. Much religious instruction 
can be given to the people in other ways than in schools. 

M, M. M, AT. At. .AA. 

^ ^ T<F -Tf W •7V' 

■" Thirdly. Another thing which reconciles many to sus- 
tain State education is that, in the present condition of public 
opinion, the common schools are the only ones for which State 
patronage can be secured ; and, without the aid of the State, 
the general education of the people cannot be accomplished. 
j^ ^ ^ M^ M^ 

^ TP TS- ^ TV" 

" 2. On the other hand, the friends of tJie State system 
have no reason to oppose parochial schools. 

'■'■First, because tliese schools do not owe their origin to hos- 
tility to the State system, but to views of Christian duty. — 
Church schools are established for purposes which the State 
cannot accomplish. Whilst the latter aims only at qualifying 
its youth to be good citizens of the Commonwealth, the Church 
aims at preparing them both for the duties of this life and of 
the life to come. Secular education may, under certain cir- 
cumstances, be good as far as it goes ; but religious education 

goes farther, and is better. 

j«- ^ 4t jf, jt. 

^'■Secondly. The utmost extent to which the denomina- 
tional system can be now carried will leave much ground 
that can only be occupied by the State. Parochial schools 
cannot rival or supersede the common schools. There is 
abundant room for all. At the present time, a large number 
of private, or select schools, exist within the limits of States 
which have adopted the common school system. In Scot- 
land, the number of ' adventure schools,' as they are there 
called, exceeds the number of parochial schools. There is no 
interference, because all have enough to do. Now, if, in this 
country, the parochial schools should so far increase as to take 
the place of the thousands of private schools, no clashing be- 



66 

tween the two systems would take place ; and even if paro- 
chial schools were added to the number of private schools, the 
interference would not be for evil. 

Al- -^ '^ ■^ -^ ^ 4t 

•yf- ■7T' 'if- -Tt- '* > "Tt" Tf- 

" Thirdly. Denominational schools are not exclusive, and 
need not be offensively sectarian. * * * Bigotry is com- 
monly the result of ignorance. An educated Presbyterian, 
however strongly he may be attached to his own form of faith 
and worship, is commonly charitable towards those who dif- 
fer from him. 

******* 

" Fourthly. Another reason for the co-existence of the two 
kinds of schools is the health principle of competition. Mo- 
nopolies are not only odious but dangerous. The granting of 
railroad privileges by the State to a mammoth company is 
nothing in comparison with the danger of allowing the State 
to control the entire work of education throughout the leng-th 
and breadth of the land. A public school system might be 
made the engine of immense evil. It has the training of a 
nation at its command ; it may dictate its reading and con- 
trol its current and general opinions." 



APPENDIX NO. 3. 



THE STATE AND EDUCATION. 

EXTENT TO WHICH THE STATE SHOULD SUPPORT PUBLIC 
SCHOOLS AND COMPEL ATTENDANCE ON TIIEM. 

Extract from a Pamphlet by Robert Vaughan. D. D,, being 
a reprint of an article in the British Quarterly Review. 

"To say that a government may consistently do its best to 
help a nation to grow rich, but that it must not be supposed 
to care a jot about the iniiuence which this money-getting 
may have upon its habits of industry, its intelligence, or its 
tone of moral feeling, would be to make distinctions, the weak- 
ness of which becomes manifest the moment they are stated. 
The end of government and the end of society it has been 
said — and we think truly said — are one. The general inter- 
est is the ultimate design of both; and in what that interest 
consists it belongs to society itself to determine. By govern- 
ment, in every well-ordered state, we are to understand a 
power created by the states and dependent upon it. Govern- 
ment is the expedient of society, the instrument which socie- 
ty forms for itself, that it may thereby realise its proper end. 
Society is the master, government is the servant. Man was 
not made for government, but government was m^adefor man. 
The question, accordingly, about the province of government, 
resolves itself into a question about the best division of labor. 
Christianity we regard as precluded from being an affair of 
government by its nature and its express laws ; but with re- 
gard to nearly all other things, the general interest is the great 
law and end to be observed, the matters which may be best 
done if left wholly to society being so left, and the matters 
which may be best done if assigned in whole or in part to the 
government being so assigned. Hence, if it can be made to 
appear, that popular education, like provision for the poor, 
would be best conducted by admitting a certain measure of 
agency from the government, it would be legitimate to admit 
that agency. 

" That children should obey their parents is a principle, and 
that subjects should obey their sovereign is a principle, but 



68 

there is a still higher piinciple having respect to the highest 
parentage and the highest soverignty to which the former 
class of principles are subordinate. In like manner, it may be 
the duty of a government to become an educator to a certain 
extent, and there may be a wider view of the general interest, 
requiring that it should not become an educator beyond a cer- 
tain point. In no respect are men betrayed into error on 
questions of this nature more commonly, than in th- ir attempts 
to lay down immutable rules, to be applicable in iheir fullest 
extent, in all circumstances and all times." 

Extract from Baines' " Strictures on the New Government 

Measure." 

'•' Government education is in my judgment a mighty error 
in principle. It can only be defended by reasons which would 
equally call for the superintendence of the government over 
our literature, our journals and our pulpits, if not over the 
food, the clothing and the habitations at least, of all the hum- 
bler classes. If on any ground of public policy, government 
is to support and regulate our schools, the same ground would 
require that it should support and regulate the press which 
supplies the bulk of the people with their reading, and should 
furnish every house with its intellectual food." 

Extracts from an article on " over Legislation," attributed 
to Herbert Spencer, Esq., author of Social Statics, 

"If we define the primary state-duty as protecting each 
individual against others ; then a\\^ state action comes un- 
der the definition of protecting each individual against him- 
self—against his own stupidity, his own idleness, his own im- 
providence, rashness, or other defect — his own incapacity for 
doing something or other which should be done. There is no 
questioning this classification ; for manifestly all the obsta- 
cles that lie between a man's desires and the satisfaction of 
them, are either obstacles arising from other men's counter 
desires, or obstacles arising from inability in himself, 

" Such of these counter desires as are just, have as much 
claim to satisfaction as his ; and may not therefore be thwart- 
ed. Such of thera as are unjust it is the state's duty to hold 
in check. The only other possible sphere for it, therefore, is 
saving the individual from the results of his own weakness, 
apathy, or foolishness — warding off the consequences of his 
nature ; or, as we say — protecting him against himself." 
******* 

" Something too, might be added upon the perturbing effects 
of that ' gross delusion' as Mr. Guizot calls it, 'a belief in the 
sovereign power of political machinery,' a delusion to which 



69 

he partly ascribes, and, we believe, rightly so, the late revolu- 
tion in France ; and a delusion which is fostered by every 
new interference. But, passing over these, we would dwell 
for a short space upon the national enervation which this 
state-superintendence produces — an evil which, though sec- 
ondary, is, so far from being subordinate, perhaps greater than 
any other. 

" The enthusiastic philanthropist, urgent for some act of 
parliament to remedy this evil or secure the other good, thinks 
it a very trivial and far-fetched objection that the people will 
be morally injured by doing things for them instead of leav- 
ing them to do thmgs themselves. 

'•'He vividly realises the benefit he hopes to get achieved, 
which is a positive and readily imaginable thing : he does not 
realise the diffused, invisible, and slowly accumulating effect 
wrought on the popular mind, and so does not believe in it ; 
or if he admits it, thinks it beneath consideration." 



" If we are asked in what special directions this alleged 
helplessness, entailed by much state-superintendence, shows 
itself, we reply that it is seen in a retardation of all social 
growths requiring self confidence in the people — in a timidity 
that fears all difficulties not before encountered — in a thought- 
less contentment with things as they are. Let any one, after 
duly watching the rapid evolution going on in England, where 
men have been comparatively little helped by governments — 
or better still, after contemplating the unparalleled progress of 
the United States, which is peopled by self made men, and 
the recent descendants of self made men — let such an one, we 
say, go on to the Continent, and consider the relatively slow 
advance which things are there making ; and the still slower 
advance they would make but for English enterprise. * * * 
Andthen, if these illustrations of the progressiveness of a self- 
dependent race, and the torpidity of paternally-governed ones, 
do not suffice him, he may read Mr. Laing's successive vol- 
umes of European travel, and then study the contrast in de- 
tail. What, now, is the cause of this contrast ? In the order 
of nature, a capacity for self-help must in every case have 
arisen from the lack of demand for it. Do not these two 
antecedents and their two consequents agree with the facts as 
presented in England and Europe ') Were not the inhabi- 
tants of the two, some centuries ago, much upon a par in 
point of enterprise ? Were not the English even behind, in 
their manufactures, in their colonization, and in their com- 
merce ? Has not the immense relative change the English 
have undergone in this respect been coincident with the great 

5 



70 

relative self-dependence they have been since habituated to ? 
And is not this change proximately ascribable to this habitual 
self-dependence 7 "Whoever doubts it is asked to assign a 
more probable cause. "Whoever admits it must admit that 
the enervation of a people by perpetual state-aids is not a tri- 
fling consideration, but the most weighty consideration. A 
general arrest of national growth he will see to be an evil 
greater than any special benefits can compensate for. And 
indeed, when, after contemplating this great fact, the over- 
spreading of the earth by the Anglo-saxons, he turns from it 
to remark the absence of any parallel phenomenon exhibited 
by a continental race. "When he reflects how this difference 
must depend chiefly on difference of character, and how such 
difference of character has been mainly produced by differ- 
ence of discipline, he will perceive that the policy pursued in 
this matter may have a large share in determining a nation's 
ultimate fate." — Westminster Review, 

Extract from an Address delivered before the Rhode Is- 
land Historical Society, on the evening of February 19th, 
1851, by Elisha R. Potter. 

" But there is another tendency in the public mind, from 
which danger is to be apprehended. 

" Many years ago, although many of the States had a sys- 
tem of educational legislation more or less perfect, the subject 
seemed to be viewed with comparative indifference. But 
within a few years, the attention of the whole country has 
been aroused to the evils resulting from our former neglect. 
The talented and benevolent have contributed by their exer- 
tions, the rich and generous by their money, to carry forward 
the movement ; ana the pulpit, public meetings, and the press, 
have brought all their influence to its aid. And one State has 
vied with another, in a generous rivalry, to excel in the liber- 
ality of its legislation and endowments. 

" The excitement has pervaded the majority ; at .least, the 
majority of the active and leading minds, in many of the 
States. The majority are for reform. But in this, as in ev- 
ery other reform, we find many who are sluggish, and cannot 
be awakened. Sometimes, the calculations of private and im- 
mediate pecuniary interest ; sometimes, personal and local 
quarrels, stand in the way of progress. The friends of re- 
form, seeing the backwardness of the mass of the people ; that 
they sometimes will not receive instruction, when brought to 
their very doors, without money and without price ; and 
deeply impressed with the magnitude of the evil, are led to 
advocate a system of compulsion by force of law. 

"Many will probably suppose, that those who entertain the 



.71 

idea of compulsion, must be few in number, and that the dan- 
ger of any controversy growing out of it, must be imaginary 
only. But he can have paid but little attention to the educa- 
tional literature of the country, who has not perceived the 
growing prevalence of this opinion. 

" Is a compulsory system advisable ? Is it right ? On first 
thought, it would seem, that when we had once concluded 
that a thing was right, it would be perfectly just and proper 
to enforce it by law, And hence, we find in all ages, parties 
who have sought to enforce religion and the various moral du- 
ties, by law. 

" Without entering into the argument upon this subject, we 
will only observe, that Providence seems to have designed, in 
connecting us in society, and making us dependent upon each 
other, to afford exercise for the affections and benevolent feel- 
ings, and for the development of character; so that in doing 
good to others, and persuading them to do their duty, we are 
adding to our own moral strength. And when we feel a vio- 
lent desire to do good to our neighbors, or to make them dis- 
charge their duties to themselves and their children, and are 
not willing to be at the expense of any moral effort for this 
end, but only make known our good will through the sheriff, 
the constable, or the tax gatherer, we may well suspect that 
our benevolence is of rather a questionable character. 

" Let us consider, in this view, the character of the great 
founder of our religion. He who came down from Heaven to 
save a world ; who might have had legions of angels minis- 
tering unto him, and who might have subdued his enemies by 
power alone, i7e was content to influence the world, by pre- 
cept and example, and by suffering ; and to leave the effects 
of his teachings to the operation of the laws which God has 
established for the human mmd. 

" But there is another view to be taken, of this question of 
enforcing education, or other moral reform, by law. In a re- 
publican government, founded on the basis of the right of the 
people to govern themselves, every person should be permit- 
ted to manage his own concerns, and to share in the general 
management, as far as he can with safety to the body politic. 
It is only by accustoming the people to govern themselves, 
and by carrying it out, as far as we can, in our municipal di- 
visions of towns and districts, that free government can be 
preserved. By the constant practice of consulting about town 
and district affairs, the mind of the people is kept awake, 
and even if they have no other education, they have a train, 
ing in the practice of government, which is a great security 
for the liberties of the nation. And wo to the people, when, 
from devotion to business, pursuit of wealth, or any other 



72 

cause, they neglect public affairs, and suffer their control to 
pass into the hands of a few. 

"Now, as a, matter of course, this liberty, this power of 
managing their own affairs, may be abused. And we may 
think we could manage tiieir affairs much better for them. By 
forcmg our system upon them, we might make a difference of 
a few years, perhaps, in the time of its adoption : but are we 
not striking a deadly blow at those principles of the right of 
self-government, and of civil and religious liberty, which we 
believe to be essential to our prosperity and happiness as a na- 
tion. 

" We may regret, when we are in pursuit of an object we 
think for the public good, that we cannot immediately per- 
suade others to think as'we do ; that we cannot change the 
habits and opinions of the people at once, and bring them all 
to our way of thinking. We may regret that people should 
be so slow to change, and think it an imperfection in the di- 
vine economy, that we cannot induce our neighbors to agree 
with us in our notions of right. But a wise God has order- 
ed otherwise. He has so ordered it, that the character of a 
people, ii the effect of the influences of all past ages, and 
that it should require thne and exertion, to change it. 

" When a man of ardent temperament, who has received 
the elements of a sound moral education, first comes to mix 
in the turmoil and business of the world, he finds the real, 
matter-of-fact world, to be a very different thing from what 
his young imagination had painted it. In private life, he 
finds vice triumphant, wealth honored, and, very often, vir- 
tuous poverty despised. 

'• In religion, he finds, even among the professed follow- 
ers of Christ, a multiplicity of sects, at variance with each 
other, and denouncing errors of opinion, with more violence 
than practical wickednesg ; and that the greatest hindrance 
to the prevalence of religion, in our own and other lands, is 
the variance between the professions and the practice of 
Christians themselves. 

" In the State, he finds laws founded, upon what seems 
to him, wrong and dangerous principles ; government doing 
what would be considered dishonorable in men ; and the 
people, in selecting officers, sacrificing the welfare of the 
commonwealth, to temporary interests and party feeling. 
He soon finds that there are other minds like his own, who 
have discovered these evils, and brooding over them, have 
fancied they have discovered some sovereign remedy. Won- 
dering that a benevolent God should permit the existence of 
so much misery, his sense of duty and his generous feelings 



73 

prompt him to set about the work of reform. Very often, 
instead of doing good to the extent of his ability, within the 
sphere to which Providence has allotted him, he imagines 
himself or joins with others in the carrying out of some the- 
ory, which is to change the face of society a'nd the world. 

" Such is the enthusiasm with which many ardent minds 
begin their intercourse with the world, and which a few on- 
ly maintain through life. Others, fondly trusting that they 
shall find every body ready to welcome their plans for ben- 
efitting the race, and improving the condition of society ; 
when they go forth into the world, find that those of older 
heads and less excitability, listen to them with carelessness, 
perhaps unwillingness ; that the vast majority appear to be 
satisfied with the world as it is, and that their projects of 
improvement are met with silence and contempt. 

" As they grow in years and knowledge, they find that 
the amount of human misery is incalculable. Seeing the 
little result of all their efforts, how many are there who be- 
come disheartened and discouraged, gradually lose their 
youthful ardor and enthusiasm, and finally become cold- 
hearted and concentrated in self alone: — fortunate if they 
are not led by disappointment, to be sceptical of the good- 
ness of God. and to spend the remainder of their days in doubt 
and despondency, 

•'Principally, from the reasons here alluded to, it is, that 
we observe that all movements, whether religious, social or 
political, seem to have their seasons of activity, and then, 
of decline ; and then, of reaction and new life. This seems 
to be the ordained course of human affairs : yet we may 
hope that by every new movement, something is gained for 
the good of man, although it may not always be the good 
which mere human wisdom anticipates. 

" There is, perhaps, no study better fitted to calm our en- 
thusiasm for reform, to a reasonable and Christian standard, 
than the study of History. We there find, that there is 
hardly any theory or opinion, of modern tunes, which has 
not had its advocates in times of old ; and that there is very 
little that is new under the sun. 

"When we are well acquainted with the history of the 
world, we see that suffering and misery are not peculiar to 
us or to our times ; and while we can more justly appreciate 
our privileges, we are less tempted to magnify present griev- 
ances. 

" It shows us too, that the condition of the world at this 
day, and the advantages we enjoy above our forefathers, are 



74 

the result of the exertions and labor of mind, of all the gen- 
erations gone by, and that as we take possession of the earth, 
improved by the labor of our ancestors, we must also take it 
subject to some of the burdens which human imperfection 
has left upon it. Politics and legislation, become historical 
sciences, and we learn that to establish a government, and 
to mould a people to our wishes, or even to make an ordi- 
nary statute, is not so simple a thing as we imagined it. 

" It may be thought that such views as these will have 
the effect of discouraging effort, and lessening the zeal of 
those who are trying to introduce moral reforms, and edu- 
cate the people. Far from suppressing, I would only inform 
and give a right direction to the enthusiasm of youth, and 
the spirit of benevolence. When a person of little experi- 
ence, undertakes a project from mere generous impulse, he 
soon meets with obstacles ; his success does not meet his ex- 
pectations ; he gives up and surrenders himself to despon- 
dency. But when we are well informed in the laws which 
govern the human mind, and when we have studied the 
course of the divine government, as shown in the history of 
the past ; we see that God has set limits to the power of 
human effort, and that all important changes are the work 
of time. Our expectations of the results of our labors, be- 
come more reasonable, and we are no longer liable to be dis- 
heartened by disappointment. What we may lose in warmth 
of feeling, we shall gain in discretion and practical wisdom. 
And if we have a proper feeling of duty, if our religion is 
anything more than sentiment, we shall not have the less 
zeal, but it will be a more practical zeal. We shall try to 
improve the condition of our neighbors, and of society, be- 
cause God has made us to feel it our duty, because he has 
commanded it. We shall do all in our power, and in faith 
leave the event to Him. He may see fit to bring about 
great results through our instrumenlality, and yet in a very 
different time and manner from what we expect or desire. 
All our efforts to influence our fellow men, will be made in 
a spirit of kindness. And if we meet with disappointment, 
we shall not despond, but still press on, trusting that the 
time will come when we shall see some good come of our 
labors. We shall cast our bread upon the waters, confident 
that we shall find it after many days." 

Extracts from Addresses of Rowland G. Hazard. 

" To do good or to resist evil, from an internal conviction 
of duty, and by an internal moral power, is the highest pre- 



75 

rogative of intelligent natures. It is the attribute of individ- 
ual sovereignty, and to yield this sovereign right, to substi- 
tute for this free vital activity, any external argument, law 
or force, would be the greatest sacrifice which pride, digni- 
ty and self respect, could make upon the altar of humanity. 
Allied to this, is the conviction, that whenever society in 
the form of government, or in subordinate associations by 
the authority of law, or the power of union, compel an indi- 
vidual to a course of action, even such as he approves, yet 
not originating in his own convictions of duty, they take 
from him the merit of voluntary performance, and rob him of 
the cheerful inference of self approval. They deprive him 
of some of the opportunities for improving his moral strength 
by its exercise in resisting evil and pursuing virtue." 

Address at Westerly, July 4, 1843. 

" These views are confirmed by analogies drawn from the 
system which Divine wisdom has established. If the Su- 
preme Governor of the world left no good to be preformed, 
no difficulties to be surmounted by individual effort, how 
would virtue be developed, or find occasions for its exercise ?" 

Historical Discourse. 

" Of the social influences, that which arises from the for- 
malion of governments, is a very important one, and fur- 
nishes an ample theme for the speculations of the philoso- 
pher, the philanthropist, and the statesman. 

" In proportion as men are obliged, or permitted to govern 
themselves, will their energies be directed to that object ; 
and hence it is, that under the elective form of government, 
the people are grave, sedate and thoughtful. Take from them 
the care of civil government, and they become more light 
Bud volatile. If in addition to this, they are relieved from 
the cares of the soul by a religious despotism, they become 
still more volatile and trifling. Proceed one step farther, and 
remove also the cares of providing for physical existence, 
and we reach the condition of the slave, who, when no im- 
mediate evil presses on him, is the most merry, grinning, 
fiddling specimen of humanity. But he, who, from this vol- 
atility, would argue a higher order of happiness, might ar- 
gue a yet higher for the fragile leaf, which yields to the im- 
pulse of every breath, dances to every breeze, and glitters in 
every ray which chances to beam upon it. Such happiness 
is little more than negative ; the mere ebuliti^n of animal 
spirit, freed from the immediate pressures of life. It is in 
that exercise of the mind, which the task of conducting our 



76 

own lives imposes, that its faculties are developed, and kept 
in that state of healthful progression, which is essential to 
dignified and rational enjoyment. In providing for the order 
of society then, as much should be left to the self restraint 
and moral power of individuals, as is consistent with public 
safety. 

^ ^ i^ ^ ^ ^ :S& 

■Tv' "Tv* 'jv- TV TV- •?%• TV- 

Rigid laws often create their own necessity. It is related 
that a citizen of Milan, voluntarily resided sixty years with- 
in its walls, and felt no disposition to pass their limits, un- 
til his prince commanded him not to do so. 

The mind spurns that authority which, depriving it of the 
exercise of its powers in the choice of action, degrades it to 
a machine, and taking from it the merit of voluntary per- 
formance, robs it of the cheering influence of self-approval. 
This induces a disposition to break despotic laws. The 
most noble and generous spirits rise in opposition to them. ' 
It is not, therefore, strange, that those who live under such 
laws, are prone to think that there is no security when any 
right is not guaranteed by force, forgetting that the disposi- 
tion to do wrong is often not so much to do the thing forbid- 
den, as to break the fetters and assert the dignity and su- 
premacy of the mind. 'Hence, too, it is, that skepticism in 
religion is most prevalent where its forms are most des- 
potic." — Adaptatio7i of the Universe to the Cultivation of 
Mind. 

" How far it is expedient to make education the subject 
of legislation, is an important question. In Prussia, an 
amiable king, disposed to exercise the despotic power with 
which he is vested, in a paternal care of his subjects, has 
furnished the means of instruction to all, and by penal en- 
actments, made it obligatory on parents and guardians, to 
send their children to the schools he has established. 

Such legislation would be worse than useless here. It 
would be repugnant to our feelings, and in opposition to the 
spirit of all our institutions. In some minor matters, regard- 
ing schools, imperative legislation has failed even in states 
where the people are more accustomed than we are, to the 
interfence of legislative authority with the sphere of indi- 
vidual duty. 

I apprehend, that in proportion as a state assumes the task 
of regulating the mode of instruction, parents will feel them- 
selves absolved from its responsibilities ; and it is the care 
and thought of parents in educating their children, which 
forms the foundation, or a very large portion, both of parent- 



77 

a! and filial virtues, the destruction of which would annihi- 
late all that is most beautiful and holy in the social fabric. 

Air, light and partial warmth, are all that a wise Provi- 
d(3nce has bestowed on us, without some efforts of our own, 
but having furnished these pre-requisites of life and activity, 
has made the rest dependent on that thought and labor, 
which are also necessary to develop the energies of body 
and mind. Let a state then provide the money essential to 
the existence of public schools — adopt means to enlighten 
the public mind on the subject, and to warm it into effort, 
adding such suggestions and recommendations, as on such a 
subject may very properly come from its selected talent and 
wisdom, and leave the rest to the free thought and voluntary 
action of the community." — Address on Education. 

These extracts upon the subject of Religion and State 
Education may, perhaps, be well concluded with the follow- 
ing remarks of the celebrated Guizot. 

" It must not be supposed that a bad principle vitiates an 
institution, nor even that it does all the evil with which it 
is pregnant. Nothing tortures history more than logic. No 
sooner does the human mind seize upon an idea than it 
draws from it all its possible consequences, makes it produce 
in imagination all that it would be really capable of produc- 
ing, and then figures it down in history, with all tkfe ex- 
travagant additions, which itself has conjured up. Events 
are not so prompt, in their consequences, as the human mind 
in its deductions." 



-7t 



APPENDIX NO. 4. 



OBJECTIONS TO EDUCATION ANSWERED. 

Extract from The School and School Master, by Potter 

& Emerson, page 106. 

"Apprehension is often expressed, and no doubt felt, lest 
education should inspire a restless and discontented spirit — 
lest it should make men unhappy, under the toils and obscu- 
rity which always await the majority in every land. If, in 
educating people, we teach them, directly or indirectly, that 
the only use of knowledge is to enable them ' to get along,' or 
' to get up in the world,' as it is termed ; if, in other words, ev- 
ery appeal is addressed to a sordid ambition, then, doubtless, 
such result will not be unlikely to follow. But let it be ob- 
served here, that there neither is nor can be, in this country, 
any such prevailing ignorance and mental torpor as will keep 
the mass perfectly at rest, after the manner of the older coun- 
tries, or as will prevent them from struggling to better their 
condition. Such multifarious and multitudinous incitements 
to activity surround them on every hand — so many examples 
of individuals rising rapidly from the humblest circumstances 
to wealth or influence, that they who are looking on, must 
be agitated with some desire to share in the same success. 
But whose minds are most likely to be unsettled by these de- 
sires ? Are they those of the educated, or those of the igno- 
rant and unreflecting? Who are most likely to forget, that 
happiness is to be found, not in any measure of outward suc- 
cess or distinction, but in ruling our own spirits, and in culti- 
vating a proper sense of our duties and privileges ? Who is 
most likely to find, in his regular pursuits, however humble, 
as well as in his hours of leisure, that full and pleasant oc- 
cupation for his thoughts and faculties, which will render a 
feverish excitement from without, unecessary and undesir- 
able? It seems to me, that these questions carry with them 
their own answer. It can hardly be doubted that, the more 
fully the mind is stored with knowledge, and with resources 
of an intellectual and moral nature, the less is it likely to be- 
come restless or discontented ; that, while education imparts 



79 

higher and more refined tastes, it imparts, at the same time, 
the means of satisfying those tastes, without strngghng per- 
petually against the allotments of life, and the claims of our 
station. 

But two causes can interfere with this, the natural order 
of things. The one may be found in the practice, so mon- 
strously absurd — would we could add, so rare — of teaching 
that education is useful only so far as it enables its possess- 
or to rise in the world — as if position were everything, and 
the soul nothing. The other is, that we restrict the bless- 
ings of knowledge, and of a taste for reading, to a small por- 
tion of those who spend their lives in labor; and by that 
means leave them without sympathy among their compan- 
ions, while we at the same time invest them with a distinc- 
tion which will not be unlikely to inflame their vanity, and 
which may thus render them objects of envy and dislike. 
We occasionally meet those, whom education does seem to 
have made unhappy ; because it has brought with it, to their 
minds, the mistaken notion that knowledge and talent are out 
of place in an humble sphere or in a life of labor ; but we 
must remember, that they owe such unhappiness, not to ed- 
ucation, but to an entire misconception of the end and use of 
education.* Those who suffer through education, or higher 
intellectual tastes, merely because they are deprived thereby 
of the sympathy of their associates, are more rare ; and they 
all admit that, while this inconvenience may be charged in 
part to their own indiscretion, in not sufficiently cultivating 
those associates, it is overbalanced, on the other hand, a thou- 
sand times, by the inexhaustible fund of pleasure, which 

* " Already," says Howitt, in his Rural Life of England, " I know some who, 
through books, have reaped those blessings of an awakened heart and intellect, 
too long denied to the hard path of poverty, and which render them not the less se- 
date, industrious, and provident, but, on the contrary, more so. They have made 
them, in the humblest stations, the happiest of men ; quickened their sensibilities 
towards their wives and children ; converted the fields, the places of their daily toil, 
into places of earnest meditative delight — schools of perpetual observation of God's 
creative energy and wisdom. 

" It was but the other day that the farming man of a neighboring lady having 
been pointed out to me as at once remarkably fond of reading and attached to his 
profession, I entered into conversation with him, and it is long since 1 experienced 
such a cordial pleasure as in the contemplation of the character that opened upon 
me. He was a strong man, not to be distinguished by his dress and appearance 
from those of his '"lass, but having a very intelligent countenance; and the vigor- 
ous, healthful feelings and right views that seemed to fill not only his mind, but his 
whole frame, spoke volumes for that vast enjoyment and elevation of character, 
which a rightly-directed taste for reading would diffuse among our peasantry. His 
sound appreciation of those authors he had read — some of our best poets, historians, 
essayists, and travellers — was truly cheering, when contrasted with the miserable 
and frippery taste which distinguishes a large class of readers." 

" I found this countryman was a member of our Artisans' Library, and every 
Saturday evening he walked over to the town to exchange his books. I asked 
him whether reading did not make him less satisfied with his daily work ; his an- 



80 

they find in books, and in the exercise of their reflective 
faculties. 

The remedy for these evils is obvious. In the first place, 
let all be so far educated, as to awaken a taste for reading 
and a desire for improvement, and knowledge will then cease 
to be a distinction, and can no longer make its possessor an 
object of envy. In the second place, let all be taught that 
education is given, not that we may buy a short-lived and 
doubtful success, but that we may have enlightened minds 
and improved hearts, and be better able to fill with dignity 
and pleasure the claims of any station, however lov\rly, and 
then contentment will prevail just in proportion as instruc- 
tion becomes more general and more thorough. 

Extract from Nicoll's Preface to Wilm's Treatise on Edu- 

catio n. 

We have heard so frequently, in the course of discussion, 
of the hazard to Society, incident on a full enlightenment of 
the people, and M. Willm has spoken in a manner so marked, 
concerning guarantees required by Governments, that I 
should scarcely feel justified in omitting the opportunity of 
claiming entire freedom for the work of Education. I 
would remark, however, before looking at this matter more 
narrowly, that the social effects of Education have often 
been greatly exaggerated. In this case, as with other rem- 
edial agencies, we need look for the rectification only of one 
derangement ; for one single measure, whose end is special, 
can resolve the difficult and complex problem of Modern So- 
ciety. The solution of all the evils surrounding us, would 
demand the correction atid adjustment of many agents and 
circumstances ; for they are indeed multiplex, which con- 

Bwer deservers universal attention- ' Before he read, his work was weary to him ; 
for in the solitary fields, an empty head measured the time out tediously to double 
its length ; hut now, no place was so sweet as the solitary fields ; he had always 
something pleasant floating across his mind, and tiie labor was delightful, and the 
day oniy too short.' Seeing his ardent attachment to his country, 1 sent him the 
last edition of the ' Book of the Seasons ;' and I must here give a verbatim et litera- 
tim extract from a note in which he acknowledged its receipt, because it not only 
contains an experimental proof of the falsity of a common alarm on the subject of 
popular education, but shows at what a little cost much happiness may be con- 
veyed to a poor man. ' Believe me, dear sir, this act has made an impression on 
my heart whicii time will not easily erase. There are none of your works, in my 
opinion, more valuable than this. The study of nature is not only the most delight- 
ful, but the most elevating. This will be true in every station oiWie. But how much 
more ought the ■poor man to prize this study ! which, if prized and pursued as it 
ought, will enable him to bear, with patient resignation and cheerfulness, the lot 
by Providence assigned him. Oh, sir, I pity the working man who possesses not 
a taste for reading. 'Tistrue, it may sometimes lead him to neglect ihe other more 
important duties of his station, but tiis Letter and more enlightened judsrment will 
soon correct itsrif in this particular, and will enable him, while he steadily and dili- 
gently pursues his private studies, and participates in intellectual enjoyment, to 
prize as he ought his character as a man, in every relative duty of life. " 



81 

cur to produce the present state of the world : whereas, by 
Education, we only aspire after the improvement, incapaci- 
ty and power, of one solitary agency — viz. the Human Mind : 
and the question is therefore simply this — not how are all 
real or possible evils to be removed — but what effects, on the 
existing state and progress of society, are likely to result 
from the elevation of the character of Man ? I shall discuss 
the matter very briefly — rather offering only the heads of a 
full discussion. 

1. Let us examine, first, the nature of the influence of 
the diffusion of a thorough Education on the stability of 
Society in its present form. — 1. It must be recollected, 
that in every system of Education which any good Gov- 
ernment ought to accept, or which indeed any enlightened 
man would attempt to establish, the prime end and aim, as 
M. Willm has so admirably shown, is noi instruction mexely , 
but development — tiie development, in particular, of the 
moral and religious sentiments. The evils of partial in- 
struction, respecting which one has heard so much, never 
can be the consequence of such a system ) just because In- 
struction is not its end or chief aim — nay, although having 
a distinct and independent value, it is yet always used as 
an instrument* To speak of the evils of partial Education 
or Training, on the other hand, were absurd ; for just in so 
far as Education has advanced, to that very extent must the 
mind have become more obedient to duty, and less under 
the control of impulse. The passions inherent in Human- 
ity, will not indeed be thus silenced, nor can we eradicate all 
illegitimate desires ; but, from his earliest years, every child 
would, by this system, have it impressed on him, that — if 
true to his nature — Man's activities must be checked, not 
merely by external power or the calculations of interest, but 
by the inherent Law, whose origin is in the will and the In- 
finite goodness of the unchangeable Lawgiver. It is clear, 
then, whether Education has advanced much or little, it 
will, if it has accomplished its aim, have aided all the con- 
servative powers of Society, by repressing the outbursts of 
passion ; — substituting, as a spring of acting, Duty for De- 
sire, and thoughtfulness in the room of rash and unheeding 
resolve. — 2. The evils at present attached to every condition 
of life must be relatively diminished by effects of Educa- 

* It will he seen, of course, that I refer in the text to the usual fallacy con- 
cerning the effect of "o little instruclion." The fallacy, itself, is a transparent 
on&; but no man will venture to denominate as dangerous, a little culture or 
moral and intellectual Training. The work of Education, includes both culture 
and instruction : but that which is wholly inseparable from it is— culture. 



82 

tion, inasmuch as its diffusion would augment the general 
means of enjoyment ; it would increase the attractions with 
which simple existence in this world has been benignantly 
environed. I shall not refer here to the purely intellectual 
pleasures open to a cultivated mind ; for the enjoyment of 
these may seem to demand leisure : but let us reflect on the 
widely different effects of the mere aspect of the external 
universe, to an instructed and an uninstructed eye ! Why, 
then prolong a condition of things m which the outward 
beauty and magnificence of Nature can be read only by the 
few belonging to our elevated circles ? Why, by our neglect 
of his earlier years, insure that the peasant lose — as he rises 
into manhood — the delight with which, in fresh infancy, he 
could live as a companion of the wild flowers on the heath ? 
Why, through reckless disregard of the source of emotions 
that belong to all Humanity, allow his heart to grow steeled 
to the gorgeousness of the Sky — to the appeals of the vast 
Ocean, or of Midnight ? If only a portion of that trouble 
were taken to preserve and elevate, which we positively do 
take to eradicate and depress ; if we were willing to make, 
in a right direction, sacrifices far less than those hourly de- 
manded, during our unavoidable association with sheer brut- 
ishness, or the jaded slaves of routine, I say not, that all 
men would become men of taste, but assuredly we might 
approximate to a state of things, so touchingly described by 
one of the most sagacious and benevolent men of his time — 
a state which would permit any one, however severe his toil 
and unremitting its exactions, yet now and then to plant 
his foot on the sod of this world, and even, with the splen- 
dors of the heavens above him, to thank the Eternal, who 
has made him a man ! — 3. The culture of the grand funda- 
mental affections and emotions of Humanity, whether by 
much or little, is, 'politically speaking, nothing less than 
equivalent to the strengthening oiihe positive bonds by which 
society is held together. Doubtless there is much of con- 
servatism in mere inertia. Gross social abuses, benefiting 
no one, but, on the contrary, injuring all — trampling on the 
rights of one class, and smothering the fairest activities of 
another — are often suffered to float downwards from one age 
to the next, purely through effect of that inertia which dis- 
inclines a man to act, ii by any means the merest necessi- 
ties of the passing moment can be supplied : but the positive 
bonds of society are nevertheless always dependent on the 
prevalence of those sympathies by which humanity recog- 
nises itself through all conditions and disguises. It has now 



become a received maxim, that every social system — every 
theoretical creed even — sustains itself not through its par- 
tialities, its sectarianism, its errors ; but through that Ca- 
tholicism, which, whether expressed, or merely assumed, 
serves as the strength of its foundation ; and surely no pat- 
riot or practical statesman can disguise from himself, the in- 
finite importance, at the present time, of the express wide- 
ning and strengthening of such foundations below our Brit- 
ish society. If the necessity be questioned — analyse the 
the feelings current among our higher orders, and then those 
prevailing through the tumultuous throngs around the base of 
our extraordinary Pyramid ! Take a description of any social 
institution — an account of any ordinance or doctrine — from 
a polished intellect toned among the habits of the first, and 
present it to any group of the energetic constituents of the 
latter ; — the chance is, that the hieroglyphic could in no wise 
be interpreted : and in thus far our society is indebted for its 
prolongation simply to the principle of Inertia. — 4. There 
is another consideration, perhaps still more important. One 
serious cause of social disturbance is, the tendency of unregu- 
lated and impetuous minds to attribute all evils incident to 
our present existence to the fault of those social arrangements 
amid which we live. Many, indeed, are so impetuous, that 
they charge the forms and institutions of society, with mis- 
fortunes evidently springing from the error of the individual, 
or the faultiness of the national character; but minds of an 
order far higher than that, are still apt to hold Government 
responsible for whatever is not the natural result of personal 
delinquency. A thoroughly trained intellect, versed in social 
philosophy, will, of course, never commit mistakes so egre- 
gious ; and their ultimate correction might safely be trusted 
to this amount of enlightenment, as its special work : but the 
point I am anxious to impress here, is, that while general Ed- 
ucation cannot possibly reach a degree of development suffi- 
cient to familiarise the popular mind with disquisitions 
of this nature, the views it must — if conducted in the right 
spirit — impress with regard to the march of the universe, do, 
in their entire tenor, go to remove the false conceptions I am 
complaining of, and to the correction of all such destructive 
impatience. In presence of the vast arrangements around us, 
the intelligent mind feels, on a first glimpse, that there is 
much — nay, that, so long as we are finite beings, there must 
be much — especially among the incidents affecting man and 
society, which we cannot co-ordinate with a narrow view of 
causation, or discern as results of prosperity and virtue, or of 
suffering and guilt. In what is nearest us — in whatever re- 
lates to the sanctions of duty — all is clear and emphatic ; but 



84 

farther onwards, the scene loses its simplicity, and is disturbed 
by the sweep of majestic laws inclosing our little world with- 
in a scheme far more stupendous, and therefore afTecling its 
arrangements. Prosperity, originating in no personal deserv- 
ings — depending on circumstances amid which we were born, 
or the place occupied by our peculiar nation, amid the long 
and complex unfoldings of human society ; calamity, whose 
special origin we know not, — pass over us and our world, like 
lights and shadows thrown from a sky that is far •above our 
terrestrial atmosphere. Sometimes, indeed, this view of the 
position of man in the world is employed to prostrate his will 
— to show him that the relations of things are wholly beyond 
his understanding, and therefore, that, on the occurrence of 
misery and misfortune, he has no resource except in self-abase- 
ment. In all such interpretations, however, it seems entirely 
forgotten, that unless there were a sphere of intelligent action 
freely opened to him, these farther mysteries would only be 
enigmas to Man ; the world would be a legitimate cause of 
Discontent, not the beautiful fountain of Faith ; and the In- 
scrutableness of the Infinite God would resolve itself into his 
separation from every Finite Creature. Faith can never be 
strengthened by the destruction of our activities : but, on the 
other hand, on learning that there are evils, whose remedy 
may be beyond reach of human power, and their occurrence 
beyond our prescience — we shall certainly become better pre- 
pared to deal, with moderation and effect, with derangements 
which are rectifiable by our experience, and with difficulties 
the virtuous will mav overcome. 



APPENDIX No. 5. 



IMPORTANCE OF FEMALE EDUCATION. 

Extracts from Dymond's Essays on Morality, page 251. 

"There does not appear any reason why the education of 
women should differ in its essentials, from that of men. — 
The education which is good for human nature is good for 
them. They are apart — and they ought to be in a much 
greater degree than they arc, a part — of the effective contrib- 
utors to the welfare and intelligence of the human family. 
In intellectual as well as in other affairs, they ought to be fit 
helps to man. The preposterous absurdities of chivalrous 
times still exert a wretched influence over the character and 
allotment of women. Men are not polite but gallant ; they do 
not act towards women as to beings of kindred habits and 
character, as to beings who, like the other portion of mankind, 
reason, and reflect, and judge, but as to beings who please, 
and whom men are bound to please. Essentially there is no 
kindness, no politeness in this ; but selfishness and insolence. 
He is the man of politeness who evinces his respect for the 
female mind. He is the man of insolence who tacitly says, 
when he enters into the society of women, that he needs 
not to bring his intellects with him. I do not mean to af- 
firm that these persons intend insolence, or are conscious al- 
ways of the real character of their habits: they think they 
are attentive and polite ; and habit has become so inveterate, 
that they really are not pleased if a woman by vigor of her 
conversation, interrupts the pleasant trifling to which they 
are accustomed. Unhappily, a great number of women 
themselves prefer this varnished and gilded contempt to 
solid respect. They would rather think themselves fascinat- 
ing than respectable. They will not see, and very often 
they do not see, the practical insolence with which they 
are treated ; yet what insolence is so great as that of half a 
dozen men, who, having been engaged in an intelligent con- 
versation, suddenly exchange it for frivolity, if ladies enter. 
6 



86 

For this unhappy state of mtellectual intercourse, female 
education is in too great a degree adapted. A large class are 
taught less to think than to shine. If they glitter, it mat 
ters little whether it be the glitter of gilding or of gold. To 
be accomplished is of greater interest than to be sensible. — 
It is of more consequence to this class to charm by the tones 
of a piano, than to delight and invigorate by iniellectual con- 
versation. The effect is reciprocally bad. An absurd edu- 
cation disqualifies them for intellectual exertion, and that 
very disqualification perpetuates the degradation. I say the 
degradation, for the word is descriptive of the fact. A cap- 
tive is not the less truly bound because his chains are made 
of silver and studded with rubies. If any community ex- 
hibits, in the collective character of its females, an exception 
to these remarks, it is I think exhibited amongst the Society 
of Friends. Within the last twenty-five years the public 
have had many opportunities of observing the intellectual 
condition of quaker woman. The public have not been 
dazzled ; — who would wish it ? but they have seen intelli- 
gence, sound sense, considerateness, discretion. They 
have seen these qualities in a degree, and with an approach 
to universality of diffusion, that is not found in any other 
class of women as a class. There are, indeed, few or no au- 
thors amongst them. The quakers are not a writing- people. 
If they were, there is no reason to doubt that the intelligence 
and discretion which are manifested by their women's actions 
and conversation, would be exhibited in their books. 

Unhappily some of the causes which have produced these 
qualities, are not easily brought into operation by the public. 
One of the most efficient of these causes consists in that 
economy of the society, by which its women have an ex- 
tensive and a separate share in the internal administration 
of its affairs. In the exercise of this administration they 
are almost inevitably taught to think and to judge. The in- 
strument is powerful ; but how shall that instrument be ap- 
plied — where shall it be procured — by the rest of the public ?" 

Extract from a speech of George Combe, of Edinburg, at 
Washington, D. C, quoted from the Connecticut SchoolJour- 
nal, vol. 1. 1.50. 

" When I was in Berlin, in June, 1S37, a member of the 
Council of the jVIinister of Public Instruction for Prussia told 
me, that in one particular the Prussian system of education 
appeared to him to be defective ; in the lower schools the 
girls and boys are educated alike ; in the higher schools, 



87 

those which are attended chiefly by the children of the mid- 
dle classes, the boys are highly instructed in the elements of 
science and the principles of the arts, but the girls are neg- 
lected. The consequence has been, that a generation of 
young men has grown up who do not find the females of 
their own rank possessed of intelligence sufficient to render 
them objects of permanent respect ; and domestic felicity has 
suffered and is suffering a perceptible diminution from this 
cause. Whatever you do in education, preserve the women 
on a footing of equality with the men. The influence of 
the mother on the young mind is far greater than that even 
of the father. The father is engaged in arduous toils to provide 
for the subsistence of his family and he may often have lit- 
tle leisure to communicate instruction. But the mother is 
the guardian, the constant companion and the most efficient 
instructor of the young. But to enable her to answer the 
ceaseless inquiries of the child for information, you must pro- 
vide her with knowledge herself. To be able to rear her off- 
spring with success, she should be instructed in their physical 
and mental constitutions and on the influences of external 
agencies on them. America boasts of her chivalrous atten- 
tions women. Let her not neglect their education." 



APPENDIX NO. 6. 



PHYSICAL EDUCATION. INSANITY. 

Extracts from the Report of Dr. Isaac Ray, Superintend- 
ent of the Batler Hospital for the Insane, presented to the 
Corporation, at their annual meeting, January 25, 1854. 

Following the train of inquiry which v/as opened in my 
last two reports, I now solicit your attention to some of those 
physical agencies which have been deeply concerned in the 
increasing prevalence of insanity. And here let me guard 
against any misconception of my views respecting the man- 
ner in which insanity is produced. The popular tendency 
to refer every case to some particular cause, springs from a 
very superficial knowledge of the disease. Seldom, in fact, 
is it produced by any single incident or event. It requires 
a combination of adverse influences, each of which contrib- 
utes to the result, though we may be quite incompetent to 
determine precisely the share which they respectively take. 
In using the term, cause of insanity, therefore, "we mean to 
designate, not some particular incident having in itself the 
power of producing the disease, but rather one holding 
a prominent place in any combination of incidents more or 
less directly followed by insanity. 

-* *- ^ # ^ 

And here occurs the difiiculty to which we are subjected as 
a public institution exercising its functions under an act of 
the Legislature. On complying with certain conditions, we 
are authorized to hold in confinement persons who are insane, 
but no law of the land would justify us in depriving men of 
their liberty, for any other cause, however commendable the 
object. Now, the class of persons in question, [those insane 
from intemperance,] while in the paroxysm, or suffering un- 
der its immediate effects, may, in any proper sense of the 
term, be called msane, and so long as we have an unquestion- 



89 

able right to hold them. AVhen, however, this condition 
passes away, as it usually does within a few days or weeks, 
and the mind resumes its perfect consciousness, what are we 
to do? The person claims his liberty, while nobody doubts 
that he would use it, only to advance another step in the road 
to bodily and mental ruin. Here seems to be a conflict of 
duties, and with every disposition to do right, I do not see hovv 
we can help compromising, either the happiness of families 
or the rights of individuals. 

* * ^ # * ^ * 

It would seem then to be a very proper conclusion, that if 
we are expected to receive the class of persons in question, we 
must be invested with the requisite legal authority. Let the 
Legislature enact that habitual drunkenness shall be subjected 
to all the disabilties of insanity, and then we may engage in a 
work of humanity without infrniging upon the right of indi- 
viduals. 

Another prolific cause of insanity, not yet duly estimated, is 
to be found in that consumption of the vital energies produced 
by the manifold exigencies of civilized life, and often manifest- 
ed, sooner or later, in weakened or disorderly actions of the 
brain. In the struggle which is incessantly maintained between 
the vital forces and the adverse influences with which mod- 
ern life is crowded, the former give way, with a degree of 
frequency peculiar, I apprehend, to modern times, and espe- 
cially to our own country. There never was a lime when 
brains were more rapidly used up, as the phrase is, in one 
way or another, in consequence of the prolonged activity of 
the vital movements to which they are subjected. In the 
struggle for wealth, power or distinction, or even for the priv- 
ilege of living at all success, requires continuous attention, 
intense application, and a strain of all the faculties, to an ex- 
tent that was once comparatively rare. On the farm, in the 
work-shop, in the counting-room, — in every department of 
business and in every channel of human enterprise — the call 
for cerebral effort is urgent and unremitting. This call must 
be answered, and many there be that break down under the 
unnatural task which it imposes. 

The disastrous result is usually precipitated by habits of 
living not calculated to restore the energies thus prodigally ex- 
pended. The time devoted to mental toil is passed in apart- 
ments warmed by air that has been brought in contact with 
red-hot iron, and mixed, very likely, with carbonic acid gas 
escaping from a leaky apparatus. The blood is thus imper- 
fectly oxygenated, and of all the organs in the body, the brain 
is the first and the principal one to suffer. In such an atmos- 
phere, its natural elasticity, which enables it, easily and 



90 

promptly, to keep to its work, is impaired, and its operations 
are maintained by a dogged effort of the will. The jaded, 
wearisome feeling is prolonged into the intervals of rest, and, 
much of the time, the individual is conscious that he has a 
brain more by the discomfort it occasions than by those pleas- 
urable emotions that belong to its perfectly healthy condition. 
Being early habituated to this kind of warmth and ventila- 
tion, the greater part of our people grow up quite unconscious 
of their defects, and with their native sense of atmospherical 
durity completely perverted. Even men whose education 
has made them acquainted with the laws of the animal econ- 
omy, and whose avocations, it might be supposed, would 
leave them ample opportunity to care for their health, seem 
to be as regardless of good air, as any others. One has only 
to enter any shop, church, school-house or lecture-room, in 
the country, to find this statement confirmed, if he is capable 
of observing the fact, by the evidence of his own senses. 

As if this were not enough, in conjunction with excessive 
cerebral effort, to lay the foundations of mental disease, it is 
aided by a neglect of that kind of bodily exercise which is ab- 
solutely necessary for the preservation of the health, especially 
the health of the nervous system. Nothing, probably, is so ef- 
fectual in counteracting the unhealthy tendencies of excessive 
mental application, as active exercise in the open air. Besides 
its more common and well-recognized effect in developing and 
invigorating the physical powers, it furnishes rest to the brain ; 
and if properly managed, may supply it with a succession of 
pleasing emotions, more calculated to recruit its wearied ener- 
gies than absolute rest. In no country in the world, probably, 
is so little account made of exercise, among men of active 
minds, as in ours. Business is supposed to be entitled to all 
the attention not given to sleep and meals, and every thing 
like relaxation, as suitable only to children or pleasure-seek- 
ers. It is regarded as both the end and the means of living, 
and unremitting devotion to its pursuits, as the paramount 
virtue, the primal duty of man. Few seriously consider, even 
when cognizant of the fact, that the brain is a mortal organ 
endowed with limited powers, and subject to all the frailties 
incident to flesh and blood. Day after day, year after year, 
the same round of thought is pursued with increasing assidu- 
ity, and with a concentration of attention and steadiness of 
purpose, which make the pursuit the hardest description of 
work. Some are so forcibly struck by the necessity of exer- 
cise, that they determine not to neglect it altogether, and ac- 
cordingly they take it occasionally, very much as they take 
physic, or perform any other disagreeable duty. They take 
a solitary walk or ride, it may be frequently and regularly, but 
improve the opportunity of being more intent than usual on 



91 

Iheir customary thoughts. Every year or two they hurry off 
to a watering-place, or join the rush of a cheap excursion, but, 
all the while, their minds and hearts are away among the old, 
familiar scenes of business, and they long for the moment 
which will terminate their unwelcome absence. Whsn fairly 
through with it, they feel as if they had laid up a supereioga- 
tory stock of health, sufficient for any present if not future 
contingency. Yet these persons would smile at the idea of 
swallowing, at one sitting, food enough to supply the calls of 
hunger for a week. But the great mistake habitually made 
on this subject, is to suppose that the effect of exercise con- 
sists entirely in stirring the blood and promoting other vital 
movements; and hence, they whose duties oblige them to be 
much on their feet, are apt to draw the conclusion that they 
need not trouble themselves with any special means of exer- 
cise. It needs to be impressed upon this generation, that the 
object of special exercise is also to relieve, to recruit, to invig- 
orate, the brain ; and just according as it has this effect upon 
the class of persons in question, must we estimate its benefit. 
The effecis of vitiated air and inadequate exercise are gen- 
erally associated with that of improper food. I do not refer 
to the refinements of luxury, which nobody supposes to be 
very conducive to health. I mean that the habitual diet of 
the great bulk of our people is calculated*to task the energies 
of the digestive organs beyond the point of healthy endurance. 
Filled, as they are, two or three times a day, with bread just 
from the oven, charged with some deleterious drug, and sat- 
urated with butter ; with meat swimming in gravy, and swal- 
lowed with little mastication ; not to mention a host of othe.r 
articles equally improper, some one or more of which finds a 
place in the most frugal meal, they succumb at last, and then 
commences a series of morbid processes which, more or less 
directly, implicate the brain when predisposed by unhealthy 
tendencies or excessive exenion. The appetite flags, food is 
taken more sparingly, until the sense of hunger disappears al- 
together, and the person eats merely as a matter of duty. Be- 
tween the first and last of these incidents there occurs a period 
of months or years, while the functions of digestion is imper- 
fectly performed, and the stomach is radiating unhealthy in- 
fluences in every direction, and especially to the brain. Its 
vigor and elasticity are thus impaired, the usual cheerfulness 
and buoyancy are exchanged for anxiety and gloomy forebo- 
dings, the firm and resolute temper give way to restlessness 
and impatience, the customary self-possession and self-confi- 
dence are replaced by distrust, apprehension and suspicion. 
At- last, the natural sensibilities of the stomach fail altogether, 
food is regarded with loathing, and, in the mental condition 
here described, the very sight of it suggests the idea of poison. 



92 

Occasionally, the digestive organs, instead of being weakened 
by erroneous diet, seem to be endowed with fresh activity, 
and large quantities of food are elaborated into nutrative ma- 
terial. With every apparent sign of good health, the brain is 
staggering under the burden imposed upon it by this excessive 
supply of blood, and some untoward event is all that is want- 
ing to precipitate an attack of mental disease. When the 
blow falls at last, the phenomena which follow are subject to 
considerable variety. Lately, in a large proportion of cases, 
they have scarcely a single feature of resemblance to common 
insanity beyond that of mental aberration. The pathological 
change is of a graver character, and long before the suspicions 
of the superficial observer are aroused, the brain has become 
the seat of incurable disease which generally terminates in 
death, within a couple of years. It is a curious fact worth 
mentioning here for its practical importance, that, while the 
cerebral disease is thus steadily advancing, there is sometimes 
a decided improvement in the outward manifestations. The 
patient abandons his delusions, conducts with more steadiness 
and propriety, and regains his affections for his family and 
home. The friends, deceived by the apparent change which 
they take to be actual recovery or sometimes but little short 
of it, persuade themselves that our apprehensions are unfound- 
ed, and too readily yield to his entreaties to be removed. For 
a little while they see no reason to regret the step, but sooner 
or later, under the excitements of the world and the unre- 
stricted indulgence of his wishes, the cerebral disorder, which 
had only been kept in abeyance, reappears with more than 
its former severity and runs it course with accelerated ra- 
pidity. 

A form of mental disease, occurring in females, and in- 
timately connected with an unhealthy condition of the bod- 
ily organs, was noticed in the annual report for 1849. These 
cases, however, embrace but a small proportion of a large 
and increasing class whose derangement originates in the 
same general cause. Indeed, no careful observer can help 
coming to the conclusion, that, of all the incidents which 
tend to develope insanity in the female sex, none is so pro- 
lific as what is called " ill health ;" and there can be lit- 
tle doubt that, nowhere, is this condition more common than 
it is with us. In the tables of causes, published in the Re- 
ports of many of our hospitals, "ill health " always holds a 
prominent place. The term is vague, and fails to convey, 
very clearly, the precise relation which it indicates between 
the cause and effect ; but it sufficiently implies the fact, in 
a large proportion of cases, the attack has been preceded by 
a state of the system, characterized, less by any local af- 
fection, than by a loss of physical and mental power, and 



93 

by a host of uncomfortable sensations. The form of the dis- 
ease, in question, arises, in a great degree, from excessive 
domestic labor in conjunction with bad diet, bad air, insuffi- 
cient recreation, and, in married women, frequent child-bear- 
ing. Of course, it is confined to the classes that are obli- 
ged to give much of their attention and strength to the per- 
formance of domestic duties. It may perhaps require to be 
explained, why insanity should be more prevalent here, 
than it is in other countries, among the corresponding clas- 
ses, which are supposed to be subjectsd to similar influences. 
The latter, unquestionably, work hard and fare hard, but 
they start with a stronger constitution ; they are much in 
the open air ; they live on plain food, and move in a so- 
cial sphere that bounds all their wishes and aspirations. Here, 
however, the woman enters upon married life, with a con- 
stitution somewhat delicate, either with little physical train- 
ing, or one, perhaps, severe enough to have consumed no 
small portion of her physical power. Ambitious that her 
house and family should be distinguished among her neigh- 
bors by all the indications of good management, but unable 
to indulge i)i hired service, she labors beyond her strength, 
and does nothing towards restoring it by suitable relaxa- 
tion. The cares -of an increasing family, without increas- 
ing pecuniary means, seem to forbid the sHghtest rest from 
the daily routine of toil ; her duties are all within doors, in 
over-heated apartments ; while a certain regard for appear- 
ances and a perpetual straining after a higher social sphere, 
give rise to an uneasy if not repining state of mind. At 
last, the appetite fails, less and less food is taken into the 
stomach, the nervous system becomes irritable under the 
slightest impression, the sleep is diminished, the flesh reduc- 
ed, and the mind is depressed by unaccountable gloom and 
apprehension. The end is now at hand in the shape of un- 
equivocal insanity, from which recovery is tedious, at best, 
and often hopeless. 

Of all the physical agencies that have served to increase the 
prevalence of insanity, none has been so effectual as its he- 
reditary character. It is an undisputed fact that mental 
and physical qualities are not more surely transmitted from 
parent to offspring, than tendencies to disease. Without 
troubling ourselves to inquire very minutely into the theory 
of the matter, it is sufficient for our present purpose, to state 
the simple fact, that one is more likely to suffer certain dis- 
eases which his parents did before him, than otjiers are whose 
parents were not thus afflicted. In no disease is the hered- 
itary character more strikingly manifested, than in insanity. 
Where the off'spring of a person once insane is tolerably nu- 



94 

merous, and their lives are prolonged to adult age, it seldom 
happens that one or more of them does not also experience 
an attack. The proportion of cases having an hereditary or- 
igin is differently estimated by competent observers, the dif- 
ference ranging from one-fourth to six-sevenths of the whole 
number. It must be borne in mind that all these estimates 
embrace a considerable number in regard to whom we have 
no information at all, but which probably includes the ordi- 
nary proportion of hereditary cases. 

Sometimes the offspring, though never suffering an attack 
of insanity, present an habitual condition not very remote 
from it, characterised by strong mental peculiarities, regard- 
ed, perhaps, as whims, oddities, or eccentricities, but which 
are as dependent on some physical condition, and as little 
under the control of the will, as the most striking manifes- 
tations of disease. In the next, or third generation, we may 
witness the developement of unequivocal insanity. 

Of all the physical causes of insanity none should be more 
carefully heeded than this, because, it is, at the same time, 
the most prolific, and the most easily avoided. In fact, how- 
ever, none seems to be so little heeded — in this country, at 
least — and people go on forming alliances for life, as if it 
were a fanciful speculation instead of a very serious fact. 
The wisdom of the world is not witnessed here. In regard 
to the domestic animals, there is much correct information 
cencerning the transmission of physical traits, and much dis- 
position to act upon it. The man would be regarded as lit- 
tle better than insane, who should spend his money or his 
labor on stock which, though apparently in perfect health, 
were known to have come from unhealthy parents. The 
horse, the ox, the sheep, must possess a lineage unsullied by 
disease or blemish ; but in the human species, so be it that 
some attractive graces of mind or person are present, all con- 
siderations respecting the health of the constitution may be 
totally disregarded. While in the one case, we carefully 
avoid a step which, at the worst, would only entail the loss 
of our money and some vexation of spirit, in the other, we 
strangely incur the almost certain risk of bringing a dreadful 
malady within our doors, and embittering the happiness of 
the domestic circle by years of the most painful experience. 
Who can calculate the amount of human wretchedness which 
has flowed from the violation of this single organic law ! — 
How many a private history, if fully exposed, would reveal 
a kind of evidence on this subject, more impressive than fig- 
ures, or physical principles ! It would show us parent and 



95 

child, brother and sister, uncle and nephew, expiating, with 
years of suffering, the ignorance or the folly of those to whom 
they were indebted for existence, and disease. 

Can it be doubted that the hereditary character of insanity 
must necessarily increase its prevalence ? Here and there, 
an instance occurs where prudential considerations prevent 
its transmission, and it dies out in ihe person of the individ- 
ual. But, for one instance of this kind, there are, probably, 
forty of the other ; and even if the difference were less, yet 
the evil being propagated in a geometrical ratio, it is obvious 
that, by the operation of this single agency, the disease is in- 
creasing at a fearful rate. I think we are warranted in say- 
ing that insanity in persons who subsequently become pa- 
rents, is, upon the average, duplicated in the next genera- 
tion. It needs but little figuring to show what must be the 
inevitable result. Let the number of existing cases be rep- 
resented as one hundred. Fifty of these become parents and 
transmit the disease, at the rate of two for each. This gives 
one hundred cases from this cause alone, or as many as oc- 
curred in the previous generation, from all causes put togeth- 
er. We must, therefore, shut our eyes to this trait of insan- 
ity — its self-multiplying power — before we can doubt the 
fact of its rapid increase. And that this must continue for 
an indefinite period, we are forced to conclude by all our 
experience with mankind. A larger knowledge of the or- 
ganic laws, and the penalties that follow their violation, will, 
undoubtedly, check the evil, but this power will, too often, 
be overborne by the other agencies that are concerned in the 
case. When reason, prudence, foresight, inculcate one les- 
son, and passion, sentiment and taste, another, it is obvious 
enough which will generally prevail. 

The operation of the physical causes here mentioned is aid- 
ed in this country, there is much reason to believe, by pecu- 
liar atmospherical conditions. This is not the place for dis- 
cussing the scientific question, but of the general fact that our 
climate produces a remarkable degree of nervous excitability, 
and thereby favors the development of insanity, I think 
there can scarcely be a doubt. That our people are distin- 
guished by restlessness, impulsiveness, impetuous and bois- 
terous movement; may be regarded as a fixed fact. Tha^t this 
trait is to be attributed to atmospherical influences, is render- 
ed probable both by the absence of any other adequate cause, 
and by the greater excitability which accompanies insanity in 
this country, as compared with others. This character of the 
disease strikes the most superficial observer in passing through 
the galleries of American and Eut-opean hospitals for the in- 



96 

sane. In the former, especially those of the northern and the 
eastern States, more excitement will meet his notice in a sin- 
gle visit, than he will see in the latter, particularly the Eng- 
lish, in a whole week or month. And yet this excitability is 
but little less apparent in the Germans, Irish and English, 
who abound in our hospitals, than in the native Americans. 

It may possibly seem as if this account of the physical caus- 
es of insanity were imperfect, without a more special improve- 
ment of the subject. Were I writing a homily, it might be 
proper to inculcate, at some length, for the thousandth time, 
the hygienic importance of exercise, recreation, temperance, 
and purity. But having no call to preach, whether men will 
hear, or whether they will forbear, I am satisfied with letting 
the story tell its own moral, and to all who are willing to 
learn, it will be sufficiently obvious and impressive 

I. RAY. 

Butler Hospital, January I7lh, 1854. 



APPENDIX NO. 7. 



REFORM SCHOOL. 
B}'' an arrangement between the State and the city of Providence, 
courts and magistrates in all parts of the State are authorised to sen- 
tence juvenile offenders in certain cases, to the Reform School es- 
tablished by the city. This fact should be generally known. The 
following is a portion of the last report of this Institution, drawn by, 
Hon. S. G. Arnold. 

" We do not propose to speak of the moral influence which the 
existence of this Institution cannot fail to exert upon the youth of 
our rapidly increasing city. It is a disadvantage under which the 
advocates of social or moral reform have ever laboied, that the first 
cost appeared disproportionate to the immediate benefit received. 
But in this instance the Board of Trustees feel persuaded that an 
intelligent opposition to the Reform School will cease when the sub- 
ject is carefully examined in all its bearings, and the result will be 
that all men will agree that a reasonable expenditure of the public 
money for this object is a wise precaution for the public welfare. 
What is more likely that a conflagration, lighted by a mischievous 
boy, more in sport than malice, would cause, in a single night, a 
greater destruction of property to our citizens than the entire cost of 
the Reform School from its commencement to the present time ? 
More destructive fires than this are not unfrequent in our city, and 
several commitments to the Reform School have been for this very 
cause. Table V. of the Superintendent's Report shows that more 
than one-third of the commitments by orders of the Court for the past 
j-ear have been for theft. It is believed that the aggregate of these 
pilferings would alone amount to a sum nearly one-half as great as 
the legitimate current expenses of the Reform School for the same 
period. These are little facts, but collectively they present a weight 
of argument in favor of this Institution, and an evidence of the wise 
foresight of those who established it, which on the ground of econ- 
omy alone, it is well to consider. In concluding this part of their 
Report the Trustees desire to say, that it upon examination of the 
subject it is thought that they have not had a due regard to economy 



98 

in their disbursements, they will be happy to have a committee con- 
nected with them, whether composed of members of the Council or 
of any other citizens whom the Council may appoint, in expending 
any future appropriations that may be made ; and more especially 
would they be pleased to have some of those who have been most 
earnest in their opposition associated with them in the gratuitous 
and somewhat arduous service which devolves upon the Board- 
One other point which the Trustees feel it their duty to submit 
to your Honorable Body remains to be answered. The Council are 
aware that, in consequence of an arrangement having been made 
between the State and the City, whereby the use of the Reform 
School was extended to the State, the General Assembly at the Oc- 
tober Session, 1S50, passed an act in accordance therewith, placing 
the State convicts sent thither under the same exclusive manage- 
ment and control of the Trustees as was given them, in the act es- 
tablishing the Reform School, over those sent by our City. With- 
in the past year two convicts have been discharged by act of the 
General Assembly, one in Febuary, and the other in September. In 
the former case, it appeared that an error had been made by the Jus- 
tice upon whose warrant the boy was committed, and that he was 
illegally detained, but having been entrusted to their charge, appar- 
ently in a proper manner, as a State convict, an act of the Assembly 
was necessary to authorise his release by the Trustees. In the 
other case, neither the Trustees or officers of the Institution were 
previously informed of the contemplated action. No application 
was made to them, or any representation of the fact upon which the 
petition was based, and no opportunity for the exercise of the discre- 
tion vested by law in this Board was granted. The first announce- 
ment they received of the proceeding was the duly attested order 
for the release. Against this perversion of the pardoning power, the 
Trustees take the earliest occasion to enter their formal and earnest 
protest. As a speedy and certain method of neutralizing the good 
effects of the Institution, by impairing the moral influence which its 
managers now hold over the inmates, this action of the General 
Assembly is deeply to be regretted. The efficacy of punishment 
consists not in the severity, but in tts certainty. Let the idea once 
gain ground that sentence to the Reform School carries with it no 
greater certainty of execution than a sentence to the State Prison of 
late years has done, and the efficiency of the Institution is lost — 
it had better be closed at once. The plan of a Reform School in- 
volves in itself the necessity of a more protracted confinement than 
is contemplated in a prison. The object of the latter is punishment 
for crime. The design of the former is the reformation of the ofTend- 
er, and because the hope of amendment is greater in youth the age 
is limited at which a convict can be received at such an an institu- 
tion. The law invests the Trustees with the power of discharge 
before the expiration of the sentence, to be used at their discretion. 
This is in effect the pardoning power, the highest and most delicate 
trust that can be confided to man, and one which, of all others, 
should be least interfered with, and is most liable to abuse when 



99 

incautiously exercised. If the policy of summary release thus un- 
fortunately commenced in behalf of the State convicts is not speedily 
abandoned, the only course by which the City can preserve to itself 
the benefit of an Institution that has cost it so much money and la- 
bor to perfect, will be to annul the existing arrangement with the 
State, and petition for the repeal of the act passed in October, 1S50, 
in amendment of the act concerning crimes and punishments. The 
Board of Trustees believe that in the case in question the General 
Assembly acted without a full knowledp-e of all the facts before 
them, receiving, as is too often the case, but an ex parte statement 
from the petitioners, enforced by such an array of signatures as ex- 
perience proves can always be obtained to a petition of the kind ; 
and that had the whole matter been laid properly before them, the 
wisdom of the Assembly would have dictated a different decision. 
They are led to this belief, from the fact, that when the first attempt 
of the kind was made by a petitioner to the Senate at the last Jan- 
uary session, a statement of the facts of the case, and of the impor- 
tant interests involved in the precedent, should it become established, 
which was made by one of this Board then a member of that Body, 
had the effect to convince Senators of the danger of granting the 
prayer, and the petitioner had leave to withdraw. The danger from 
this source can only be avoided, so long as the present arrangement 
exists with the State, by having some persons in the 7\ssembly spe- 
cially charged with the interests of tlie Reform School ; and to ac- 
complish this object, the Board would suggest that the delegation in 
each House, from the city, and especially the Committee on Con- 
victs Petitions, of the General Assembly, be requested to watch over 
the interests of the Eeform School, with particular reference to peti- 
tions for liberation. It has occurred of late that parents or guar- 
dians, interested in the release of boys confined by sentence of Court 
at the Reform School, have threatened that, unless their request was 
granted, they would appeal to the General Assembly, and in one 
instance within a few days the remark was made — " you know it is 
easy enough to get plenty of signers to a petition." The knowledge 
of this power in the General Assembly, and of their disposition to 
exercise it, has reached the ears of the boys, and is producing the 
effect that might be expected in encouraging a feeling of insubordi- 
nation, and rendering it necessary to use more stringent measures in 
the police of the Institution — thus verifying the prediction made in 
the State Senate on the occasion of the first petition for release, 
above mentioned. The Trustees have been obliged to forbid any 
communication with the inmates, except in the presence of an officer 
of the establishment, and under no circumstances to permit any con- 
versation on the subject of leaving the Reform School. Much more 
might be said upon a point of such vital interest to the Institution 
entrusted to our charge, but that this Report has already extended 
to an unusual length from the accumulation of important subjects 
requiring the consideration of the Council. 

In conclusion, the Board of Trustees desire to express their grate- 
ful acknowledgments to the City Council for the liberality with 



100 

which their suggestions have been seconded, by ample appropria- 
tions, and to repeat their conviction that an expenditure, however 
large, which has for its object the reformation of juvenile offenders, 
will be found in the end to be a wise and well-timed economy. 

All which is respectfully submitted on the part of the Board of 
Trustees 

SAMUEL GREENE ARNOLD, Secretary, 



APPENDIX, NO. 8. 



SCHOOL AND OTHER LIBRARIES. 

The following table exhibits the number of volumes in 
the School Libraries, as near as can be ascertained : 

No 
Pawtucket, 
No. 2, 
Lonsdale, 
Slatersville, 
Globe, 
Hamlet, 
Bernon, 

Manton Library at Cumberland Hill, 375 
Woonsocket, Carrington Library, 2000 
Manton Library at Pascoag, 808 

Chepachet, - - *750 

Manton Library at Hemlock, 1200 

Aborn Library at North Scituate, 450 

500 
*400 



North Providence, 
Smith field, 

Cumberland, 

Burrillville, 
Glocester, 
Foster, 
Scituate, 



Vols. 
2000 
350 
*900 
*750 
*350 
*275 
*200 



Cranston, 
Johnston, 
East Greenwich, 



West Greenwich, 
Coventry, 

Warwick 



South Kingstown, Kingston, 

D. Rodman's, 
Peacedale, 
Those marked thus* are estimates. 

7 



Smithville Seminary, 

No. 8, 

None, 

Old Library, 

Methodist Seminary, 

Episcopal Parish Library, 

None, 

Washington Tillage, 

Bo wen's Hill, 

Old Warwick, 

Ladies' Library at Old Warwick, 

Phoenix, 



100 
870 
100 

402 

- 405 
-475 

250 
720 
800 

- 100 
100 



.102 



North Kingstown, 


None, 


. 


Westerly, 


Westerly, 


2000 


Hopkinton, > 
Richmond, 5 


Brand's Iron Works, 


800 






Richmond, 


Carolina Mills, 


*100 


Exeter, 


Fisherville, 


675 


Charlestown, 


One in three divisions, 


- 706 


Portsmouth, 


North End, 


425 




South End, 


650 


Middletown, 


- 


*300 


Tiverton, 


Globe Factory, 


160 


Little Compton, 


Two Libraries, 


- 1108 


New Shoreham, 


- 


*400 


Jamestown, 


- . . 


- *500 




Old Library, 


- 550 


Bristol, 


- 


147 


Warren, 


Lyceum, 


S50 




Female Seminary, 


- 400 


Barrington, 


- - - 


- 550 



The following is believed to be the number of volumes in 
the College and other Libraries : 

No. Vols. 

Providence, College (bound volumes,) 25,000 

College Societies, - 7500 

Friends' School, founded 1819, 1500 

Athenaeum, 1753, - 18,000 

Historical Society, 1822, *2500 

State Library, - *1500 

Mechanics', 1821, - *3500 

Franklin Lyceum, 1832, 1600 
Bar Library, - - 1500 

Franklin Society, 1823, - 500 

Perrin's Circulating, - 4000 

Winsor's, " - - 4000 

City Teachers' Library, - 500 

Newport, Redwood, founded 1747, *6500 

Mechanics', founded 1828, *1100 

Hammond's, founded 1820, *8000 

Richardson's, - - 400 

In addition to the above there are many parish libraries, 
of which we can obtain no account. And the number of 
volumes in the various Sunday School libraries, principally 
of juvenile books, is very large. 

There are still many places in the State where village or 



103 

school libraries should be established, as will be seen from 
an inspection of the foregoing table. 

These libraries have generally been formed upon the plan 
of loaning out the books for a small weekly charge to sub- 
scribers and non-subscribers alike. This is believed to be 
the wisest arrangement. 

Many individuals in the State have generously contribu- 
ted to the formation of our school and village libraries ; but 
it will be no injustice to others to mention Araasa Manton , 
Esq., of Providence, as having been among the earliest and 
most generous patrons of the enterprise. 

The friends of education should not be disappointed if the 
books should not be as much read a few years hence as now, 
while newly established. Still they should be maintained. 
The youth who are growing up in our public schools, who 
feel a desire for improvement, should have the opportunities 
within their reach. And if even but one solitary scholar 
should have ambition or curiosity enough to lead him to use 
the library, still it should be preserved.* 

There are many large and valuable private libraries in the 
State, which we cannot enumerate. John Carter Brown's 
collection of works on American History, many of them 
very rare and costly, and Albert G. Greene's collection of 
the works of American poets ought not, however, to be 
passed over. 

* Those who wish to see a full historical account of our large libraries should con- 
sult the account by Prof. Jewett in the Fourth Annual Report of the Smithsonian 
Institution. Also see Journal of R. I. Institute, by Mr. Barnard, vol. 3, page 428. 
We have endeavored to correct some inaccuracies in their statements as to num- 
bers. 



APPENDIX NO. 9. 



THE LAW OF RESIDENCE IN RELATION TO VO- 
TING. 

Frequent dispules arise in school districts, as to the right 
to vote growing out oi the question of residence, and as fre- 
quent application is made to the Commissioner of Public 
Schools for advice and decision, it is deemed advisable to 
publish a synopsis of the principles upon which such cases 
are to be decided. The same principles govern the right to 
vote in town meetings, so far as relates to residence. 

Our statutes have in some cases required a particular 
length of residence in order to qualify to vote. Thus, to 
vote in town meeting a person must have been a resident in 
the town six months. In a school district, no particular 
length of residence in the district is required, but the voter 
must have resided in the town six months, and be otherwise 
qualified. 

Thus it becomes important to know what constitutes a 
residence in law, so as to know when it begins or from what 
time it is to be calculated. 

The words residence, domicil and inhabitancy, express 
nearly the same thing. The courts have sometimes tried 
hard to make a distinction, in order to satisfy the equity of 
some particular case, but these may be left out of considera- 
tion at present. 

When it is recollected that by the comity of states and na- 
tions, in case of the death of a person without a will, his per- 
sonal property is distributed according to the laws of he 
State or country where he resides at the time of his deatth, 
it will be seen at once that the question of what constitutes 
a residence, may sometimes involve great amounts of proper- 
ty. This has led to a full investigation of the subject, and 
the general principles regulating it are now well settled. — 



105 

Many of the rules are similar to those regulating the settle- 
ment of paupers, with which it is very often confounded by 
those ignorant of the law. 

We extract the following synopsis of them from Judge 
Story's Conflict of Laws : 

1. The place of birth of a person is considered as his 
domicil, if it be at the time the domicil of his parents. This 
is called the domicil of nativity. But if his parents are on 
a visit or on a journey, the home of the parents will be 
deemed his domicil. An illegitimate child follows the dom- 
icil of his mother. 

2. The domicil of birth continues until he has acquired a 
new domicil. 

3. A minor is generally deemed incapable of changing his 
domicil, but if the parent changes his domicil, that of the 
minor follows if. If the father dies, his last domicil contin- 
ues that of his minor children. 

4. A married woman follows the domicil of her husband. 

5. A widow retains the domicil of her deceased husband, 
until she acquires another. 

6. Prima facia, the place where a person lives, is deemed 
his domicil. 

7. Every person of full age having a right to change his 
domicil. if he removes to another place, with an intention of 
making it his permanent residence^ that immediately becomes 
his domicil. 

8. If a person removes to another place with an intention 
of remaining there for an indefinite time, and as a place of 
present domicil, it becomes his domicil, notwithstanding he 
may entertain a floating intention to return at some future 
period. 

9- The place where a married man's family resides is gen- 
erally deemed his domicil, but not if it be a merely tempora- 
ry establishment. 

10. If a married man has his family in one place, and his 
business in another, the former is deemed his domicil. 

11. If a married man has two places of residence at differ- 
ent times of the year, that will be esteemed his domicil which 
he himself selects or deems his home, or which appears to 
be the centre of his affairs, or where he votes or exercises the 
rights and duties of a citizen. 

12. If a man is unmarried, that is generally deemed his 
domicil where he transacts his business, exercises his pro- 



106 

fession or assumes the privileges or duties of a citizen. But 
this rule is subject to qualification. 

13. Residence, to produce a change of domicil, must be 
voluntary, not by imprisonment, &c. 

14. Mere intention to remove without the fact of removal, 
will not change the domicil ; nor will the fact of removal 
without intention. They must go together. 

15. A domicil once acquired, remains until a new one is 
acquired. 

In the application of these rules, difficulties will often 
arise, especially in the case of young men without families. 
To constitute a change of residence there must be a removal 
to a place with the intention of remaining there. The fact 
of removal is easily proved, but it is often very difficult to 
ascertain the intention of the party, whether he intends to 
make a place his home or only a temporary residence. In 
these cases we may infer the intention from the facts, if 
there are any facts in proof, or from declarations of the party 
made without a view to aff'ect the case on trial. For want 
of other proof it is the practice of many boards of canvassers 
to admit the party himself on oath to declare what his inten- 
tion was, and with proper caution there can be no objection 
to admitting it. In many cases no other evidence can be 
obtained. 



APPENDIX NO. 10. 



Importance of directing attention to the Arts of Design, as a 
means of improving Public Taste, furnishing Employment 
to People, and increasing National Wealth. 

Extract from Professor Mapes' Address before the Rhode 
Island Agricultural Society, Sept. 1853. 

" Your Society is among the first of its kind that have at- 
tempted to nurture the Arts of Design ; some estimate of the 
importance of which may be gathered from the history of 
France. Napoleon established common schools for the Arts 
of Design throughout France ; indeed, he rendered it a le- 
gitimate branch of education in all the common schools, and 
the result has been, that France has placed the world under 
contribution for her designs. We have only to refer to the 
Gobelin tapestry, the Sevres China, to be convinced of the 
truthfulness of this result. The public galleries of France, 
filled with the finest specimens of the antique, were open to 
her people, and thousands of apprenticed boys might have 
been seen drawing from those rare figures, and imbuing their 
minds with the line of beauty. You all doubtless know 
that the letter S is an approximation to this line — the great- 
est departure from a straight line, — and when the eye once 
becomes imbued with the beauty of this figure, it seems im- 
possible for it to rid itself of this unobserved education. A 
sign-painter who can freely form a graceful letter S, may 
change his profession, and in whichever of the mechanic 
arts he may afterwards labor, the grace and beauty of that 
line will pervade his designs. 

The tin-plate workers of France have supplied the silver- 
plate workers of England with their patterns. Look at your 
own parlors, and you will find every girandole, candelebrum, 
carpet pattern, or fanciful piece of furnitue, is either of 
French design, or directly deduced from it. French calicoes 
and laces are sold in both the English and American markets 
at double the price of our own of the same quality of fabric, 



108 

simply from their superiority of design. By what means^ 
was France enabled to war with half Europe, without crea- 
ting a heavy national debt, and this too without colonial in- 
come ? Look to her Arts of Design, and the question will 
be answered. A pound of American cotton, worth 8 or 10' 
cents, is returned to us in the form of French lace, at a value 
of many hundreds of dollars, and this value is chiefly due to 
its design. Even in the year 1756, when the operations of 
the Bank of England, and the new coinage of both England 
and France, called in the bullion, England had but nineteen 
millions of pounds sterling, while France had ninety-four 
miUions. You need no better proof of the extra value added 
to the raw material, by the application of the Arts of Design 
than by examining the jewelry in your own exhibition ; for 
we have begun to render ourselves independent of the French 
in this respect — much more, however, remains to be done. 

Perhaps no product of the mechanic arts has been more 
benefitted by the Arts of Design than cast iron stoves. A 
few years since, they were square and unsightly boxes, pre- 
senting less than half the amount of surface for radiation of 
heat, in the same space, than with those now in use. 

The beauty of the Berlin castings has excited our stove 
makers to improve, and now many of their products are 
beautiful objects, embracing the finest class of design. 

But fifty years ago, and the China manufacture of Eng- 
land was an exact copy of that of the Chinese. Grotesque 
figures of mandarins, and pagodas, represented in cobalt blue, 
were the only ornaments to be found on English China un- 
til the time of Wedgewood. He established a school for the 
arts of design in his own factory, and many of the academi- 
cians of the Royal Academy of England, and one of its pres- 
idents, received their first instruction in Wedge wood's school. 
I am happy to say, that the New York State College, known 
as the New York Free Academy, has established a depart- 
ment for the arts of design, now in charge of Professor Dug- 
gan, and a few years hence, when the boys now under hisin- 
struction, shall be divided among the work-shops of New 
York, they may cease to import, as they now do, more than, 
a million of dollars worth per annum of French furniture,, 
simply in consequence of the superiority of its design." 



109 

Extracts from the report of Thomas A. Tefft to the Rhode 
Island Agricultural Society, 1853. 

" An Art Association has been organized, the same that 
was contemplated last spring, when a petition for the char- 
ter of such an association was circulated and handed in to 
the Legislature during the May session, but withdrawn on 
account of some misunderstanding as to its objects. 

Thus it will be seen that the first step has been taken : a 
society has been established on the most liberal basis for the 
accomplishment of a common good. At the meeting for or- 
ganization, earnest speeches were made by President Way- 
land and Zachariah Allen, This we mention to show the 
sincerity and importance of the movement. And as a com- 
mittee has been appointed to report upon a plan of action, we 
shall soon know how far the society will undertake the work 
that is before them. 

The constitution that has been adopted by this society 
seems to indicate a very clear view of its intention. It says, 
in article 2 : 

" It shall be the object of this society to establish in the 
city of Providence, a permanent Art Museum and Oallery 
of the Arts of Design, by exhibiting works of g.rt obtained 
by loan, purchase or otherwise, and investing the proceeds 
of snch exhibitions in works of permanent value and inter- 
est to the Association. The Association shall also use all 
other appropriate means for cultivating and promoting the 
ornamental and useful arts." 

Thus it seems that this association contemplates a truly 
noble work, and one that is deserving of earnest co-operation 
from every source. 

As a people we are very deficient in art education. We 
do not possess that pure discriminating taste that imparts to 
life one of its highest pleasures, and adds so materially to 
the wealth and dignity of a nation. 

#***#♦* 

If we turn to private dwellings we shall not find it at all 
dfficult to recall the appearance of some one that is overload- 
ed with jimcracks, is wanting in unity of style, or is not in 
harmony with the spirit of the place. If you go beyond the 
threshhold of many costly mansions you find that the same 
spirit prevails in the ornamentation and furnishing that 
marks the exterior. The ceiling is loaded with stucco en- 
richment, or set off with elaborate painting. The pictures are 
purchased in number and sizes to fit the walls, and the fur- 



110 

niture throughout is of the richest patterns that can be im- 
ported ; expense and quantity being considered instead of 
fitness and beauty of design. 

And why, let it be asked, has this mushroom style of 
house decoration been adopted by Americans ? It is wholly 
at variance with the spirit of our institutions, and it bespeaks 
a mind that is delighted with the external and meritricious. 

•yf* -T^ 'Tf TV -7^ •??■ 

Another important requisite of a highly cultivated taste 
would be manifested in schools of ornamental art, where work- 
men would be taught to mingle artistic skill with every kind 
of oramental workmanship, thus enchancing the value of 
home manufactures till we should begin to diminish the 
enormous tax of our importations. It is of no use to manu- 
facture an article until it is demanded in the market. And 
no American school of ornamental art will prosper until the 
present servile taste is succeeded by one sufficiently correct 
and national, to prefer American productions to foreign, when 
the former are the best. This we all know is not the case 
at present, we bow submissively to fashion, and she sends 
forth her edicts from beyond the sea, France has the mar- 
ket of the world in all works of taste and fancy, and it has 
been obtained legitimately. Under all changes of govern- 
ment, institutions for the promotion of art have been fostered 
with the greatest care, until it may well be said that the 
whole wealth and prosperity of France lies in her ornamen- 
tal art manufactures. 

The pre-eminence of the French in the great exhibition 
stimulated the English to a degree of earnestness and activi- 
ty that will ere long produce the best results. The perma- 
nent exhibition that will shortly be opened at Sydenham is 
the second step of real importance in this movement. This 
gives to creative art the importance that it deserves. It is 
placed before the people as a great fact of the times. 

The Dublin Exhibition is also to become a permanent 
aftair, and the Crystal Palace in New York, a beautiful work 
in itself, is henceforth to be devoted to the same noble pur- 
pose, a permanent exhibition or museum of creative art. — 
This is unquestionably the true place for diffusing art infor- 
mation. Lectures and papers upon the subject are nearly 
useless, if they point to no models for illustration. And art 
museum fails of its purpose, if its visitors are unprovided 
with a catalogue containing clear discrminating criticism. 

We sincerely hope the lesson taught us by these indus- 
trial exhibitions will not be lost, while they show the supe- 



Ill 

riority of American skill, in every thing that it has under- 
taken, they most clearly point to a startling fact that is ex- 
plained in the increasing amount of our importations. 

Foreign arts and manufactures flood our markets to the 
detriment of our own enterprising mechanics, who have had 
no chance to obtain an art education. Our workmen have 
not been taught the principles of design, the very first mo- 
tive and genius of all the arts, and while this continues, we 
must remain in our dependence upon the old world, and be 
satisfied with the frippery and inappropriate art-work that is 
offered us. 

We believe this work of industrial education has been 
commenced in this country, and when it is once earnestly 
undertaken as an enterprise, we may count upon the best 
results. It should be urged forward by every capitalist, by 
every educator, and by every American. Every teacher 
should be able to draw out artistic talent in the common 
schools, and the State, or some institution, should offer 
schools of ornamental art to those that evince decided taste 
and genius, where there could be obtained a complete educa- 
tion in every department of ornamental and useful art First 
of all, however, we should have, in every city, museums of 
art, including every article of taste or skill, with critical 
catalogues, with papers and lectures upon the impor- 
tance and advantages of this kind of culture, and thus ele- 
vate the public taste and add another means of enjoy menf 
and usefulness to our education. For the Committee, 

T. A. TEFFT. 

LETTER FROM THOMAS A. TEFFT, ESQ. 
To Hon. E. R. Potter, Com. of Public Schools of R. Island. 

Dear Sir, — Agreeably to your request, I send you the following 
in reference to the Rhode Island Art Association. 

The organization of this society took place the Sth of Dec., 1853, 
when the following persons were elected officers : 

President — William W. Hoppin, Providence. 

Vice Presidents — Geo. H. Calvert, Newport; Wm. S. Patten, 
Philip Allen, Jr., Providence. 

Secretary — Isaac Proud, Providence. 

Treasurer — G. H. Whitney, Providence. 

Directors — Thos. P. Shepard, Thos. P. Hoppin, John Gorham, 
Providence ; Rouse Babcock. Westerly; Wm. Binney, Providence : 
George C. Mason, Newport; Walter Manton, Providence; Andrew 
Robeson, Newport ; Albert G. Greene, T. A. TefTt, E. W. Howard, 
J . S. Pitman, Thos. A. Doyle, Providence. 

This association has been established for the especial purpose of 



112 

promoting ait in Rhode Island — a branch of education hitherto much 
neglected — although it is of growing importance, whether viewed in 
the light of an intellectual accomplishment, or a field of delightful 
and remunerative enterprise. 

The plan of action that has been adopted by the association is as 
follows : 

First — To hold an annual exhibition of borrowed pictures and 
other works, illustrative of the various departments of art, during 
the first part of September. 

Second — To open a permanent Art Museum as soon as practicable, 
which shall include every branch of ornamental and useful art. This 
exhibition to be kept up at all times upon the most liberal terms, and 
made as instructive and beneficial to the public as possible, by means 
of descriptive and critical catalogues. 

Third — To establish a school of design where every department of 
art would be taught unnder the best advantages. The collections of 
the Art Museum being made with reference to this object. 

Fourth — To publish an annual journal, made up of the various re- 
ports and proceedinjTs of the association, original papers and lectures, 
and extracts from books and publications which are particularly in- 
teresting to the Art Student, or intended to reform and elevate pub- 
lic taste. 

Fifth — To raise by subscription a fund of fifty thousand dollars 
for the successful accomplishment of the above objects. This sum 
is thought necessary to insure to the public an institution that shall 
stand unrivalled for its usefulness and good, and be a lasting orna- 
ment to the State. 

The movement is one that should enlist the zealous co-operation 
of every educator, statesman, and philanthropist. It has for its ob- 
ject the diffusion of a more cultivated taste in the ornamental and 
industrial arts, the immediate effect of which would be to lessen our 
dependence upon foreign labor, especially in those departments which 
are most remunerative, and afford to male and female labor in our 
own State a new field of occupation. This consideration, the open- 
ing of a new source of employment and profit to the young men, and 
especially young women of Rhode^Island, is one of the great advan- 
tages we look to in the prosecution of this plan. 

A circular based upon the above plan, setting forth more fully the 
objects, advantages and claims of this association, will soon be issued 
and extensively circulated. 

When this has been done, and when the important advantages to 
be derived from such an institution are fully understood, we hazard 
little in predicting that its interests will soon be identified with every 
true Rhode Islander. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

T. A. TEFFT. 



CATALOGUE OF BOOKS 



FOR 



SrIjacI, Wilk^t, or stnall WMt fihxKxm. 



PREPARED BY 



E. R. POTTER, 

COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS OP EHODE ISLAND. 



PREFATORY REMARKS. 

In preparing the following list of books, we did not set out with 
the idea of making a perfect catalogue. Deficient as it is, it has 
cost us a great deal of labor, more than we would have undertaken 
if we had anticipated it. We have been much aided by Mr. Bar- 
nard's list of books for libraries, published in the Journal of the 
Rhode Island Institute of Instruction, and the catalogue of the Paw- 
catuck Library, selected by him, Dr. Ryerson's catalogue, Kent's 
Course of Reading, &c. 

In regard to the organization of library associations, specimens of 
articles of agreement, and regulations for drawing books, full infor- 
mation will be found in the Journal of the Rhode Island Institute, 
edited by Mr. Barnard. It is important that the society should be 
a permanent body: it should therefore be a corporation. By the 
school laws of Rhode Island, provision is made for the voluntary 
incorporation of such societies. 

In the case of a small village or neighborhood library, experience 
shows that after a few years they are apt to be neglected. In such 
cases it would probably be for the interest of all, to vest the owner- 
ship in some church, or in the school-district — ^bodies which have 
regular meetings, and which would not be likely to neglect, entirely, 
the busincf^s of the library. There are serious objections to libraries 
being owned by individuals in shares : they are liable to division and 
dispersion at any time. 

Even where a library is owned by subscribers, it is a good plan to 
charge a small sum for the use of the books, .without regard to size : 
even if only one or two cents per week, it adds to the fund for the 
increase of the library. 

In making the first selection of books for a small library, it would 
be best to purchase a large proportion of standard works : it will be 
easier to raise more money to purchase lighter works afterward. 



2 PREFATORY REMARKS. 

As to religious books, perhaps when a library is bought by sub- 
scribers of different sects, it would be a good rule to purchase no 
work objectionable to any sect. But there can be no objection to 
having the different religious sects present their sectarian works to 
such libraries, if they choose to do so ; rather they should be encour- 
aged to do it, so that the library should afford to the anxious inquirer 
after truth, an opportunity of examining all sides of religious ques- 
tions. In making out our list we have included some books of all de- 
nominations. Knowing that it would be impossible to avoid charges 
of sectarianism, we did not think it worth while to take very partic- 
ular pains to do it. "We have rather taken some pains to select a 
few of the best books of all denominations. 

A great deal of the value of a library will depend upon a good 
catalogue. Many books include information on a great variety of 
subjects, and should be placed under several different heads. A good 
catalogue should include, under the proper head, everything relating 
to it, articles in a review, magazines, &c. The catalogue of the 
Westerly Library, prepared by Rev. Thomas H. Vail, and published 
in the Journal of the Rhode Island Institute of Instruction, is a 
model of a good catalogue. A classified index on the plan of that 
in the last (1853) edition of the catalogue of the Providence Athe- 
naeum, will be found very useful. 

For advice as to the best mode of using a library, rules for read- 
ing and study, one may consult with great advantage the Hints on 
Reading contained in the preface to the Pawcatuck Catalogue; also 
Potter's Hand-book for Readers, Kent's Course of Reading, Pye- 
croft's course of Reading, Diesterwig's Rules for Study, ( Mass. 
School Journal, vol. 5,) and Journal of Rhode Institute of Instruc- 
tion, vol. 2, p. 163. 

Few juvenile religious books would perhaps be necessary in a 
public library, as those are generally amply supplied by the Sunday- 
school libraries. Many valuable hints as to selection of books may 
be derived from H. S. Randall's Report upon Common-School Libra- 
ries ; but no catalogue or printed suggestions can supersede the ne- 
cessity of good advice from a person well acquainted with books> 
their editions and prices. 

Note. In the catalogue, H. D. L. refers to Harpers' District Library by- 
numbers; H. Clas. Lib. refers to Harpers' Classical Library; and Mass. Lib. 
to the library first published by the Massachusetts Board of Education, but now 
also owned by the Harpers. 



CATALOGUE OF BOOKS. 



DICTIONARIES AND BOOKS OF REFERENCE. 



Penny Cyclopedia. 27 v. (New edi.) 

Encyclopedia Britannica. (New edi.) 

Encyclopedia Americana. 14 v. 8vo. 

Oswald's Etymological Dictionary. 

Worcester's Dictionary. 

Webster's Dictionary. 1 vol. 4to. 

Richardson's Dictionary. 2 vols. 4to. 

Halliwell's Dictionary of Archaic and 
Provincial Words. 

Baldwin's Pronouncing Gazetteer. 

Crabb's Synonyms. 1 vol. 8vo. $2.00. 
Harpers. 

Graham's Synonyms. Appletons. 

Roget's Thesaurus of English Words 
and Phrases. Dr. Sears' edi. 1 vol. 

Smith's Dictionaries of Ancient His- 
tory, Biography and Mythology. 3 v. 

Anthon's Greek and Roman Antiqui- 
ties. 1 vol. 8vo. $4.00. Harpers. 

Anthon's Classical Dictionary. Harpers. 

Fisk's Manual of Classical Literature. 

McCuUoch's Universal Gazetteer. 2 
vols. Svo. 

McCulloch's Commercial Dictionary, 
2 vols. Svo. 



Murray's Cyclopedia of Geography. 

3 vols. Svo. 
Hayward's Gazetteer of U. S. 
Griswold's Cyclopedia of Biography, 

3 vols. Harpers. 

Cyclopedia of History. 
Chamber's Cyclopedia of English Lit- 
erature. 
Chamber's Information for the People. 
Blaine's Cyclopedia of Rural Sports. 
Loudon's Cyclopedia of Agriculture. 
Loudon's Cyclopedia of Gardening. 
Brande's Cyclop, of Science, Art and 

Literature. 1 vol. Svo. $4.00. Har. 
lire's Dictionary of Arts and Sciences. 

1 vol. Svo. $.5.50. Appletons. 

Webster's Encyclopedia of Domestic 

Economy. 1 vol. $3.75. Harpers. 
Hooper's Medical Lexicon. 1 vol, 

Svo. $3:00. Harpers. 

Poole's Index to the Quarterly Reviews, 

Magazines, &c, 1 vol. Svo. Norton. 
Rose's Biographical Dictionary. 



GOVERNMENT, LAW AND POLITICS. 



Taylor's NaturalHistory of Society. 2 v. 

Ferguson on Civil Society. 1 vol. Svo. 

Wheaton on Law of Nations. (Gov. 
Lawrence's edi.) Little fy Brown. 

Gardner's Moral Law of Nations and 
American Polity. 1 vol, 12mo. 

Mcintosh's Discourse on Law of Na- 
ture and Nations. (Miscellanies.) 

Montesquieu's Spirit of Laws. 

Burlemaque on Natural and Politic 
Law. 

Hallam's Constitutional History of En- 
gland. 3 vols. Svo. 

DeLolme on Constitution of England. 
(McGregor's edi.) 1 vol, Bohn. 



Guizot's History of Representative 

Government. 1 vol. Bohn. 

Paley's Moral and Political Philosophy, 
Blackstone's Commentaries. 4 vols. 

$7.00. Harpers. 

Kent's Commentaries. 4 vols, Svo. 
Holthouse's Law Dictionary. 
Bouviere's Law Dictionary. 
Constitutions of United States and 

States. 
Federalist ; by Madison, Jay and 

Hamilton. 
Story on Constitution. 1 vol. 60 cts. 

Mass. School Library, No. 13. 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



Hart's Class Book of United States 
Constitution. 

Marshall's Decisions on Constitu. Law. 

Duer's Constitutional Jurisprudence. 
H. D. L., No. 232. 

Hildreth's Theory of Politics. Harpers. 

Lieber on Civil Liberty and Self Gov't. 
2 V. r2mo. Lippincott , Grambo ^ Co. 

More's Utopia. Lippin., Grambo fy Co. 

Messages of Presidents. 2 vols. 8vo. 

DeTocqueville's Democracy in Amer- 
ica. 2 vols. 8vo. 

Dumas' Democracy in France 

The People, by DeLamenais. 

The People, by Michelet. 

Cooper's American Democrat. 



The Citizen of a Republic. 

Gales and Sea ton's Debates of Congress. 

Congressional Globe. 

Mansfield's Legal Rights of Women. 

Stroud's Slavery Laws. 

Guy's Medical Jurisprudence. Har. 

Story's Conflict of Laws. 1 vol. 8vo. 

Warren's Duties of Attorneys and So- 
licitors. 18mo. 7.5 cts. Harpers. 

Public Laws of the State. 

Reports of the Courts of Law. 

Greeley's Hints toward Reforms. Har. 

Jefferson's Manual. 

Cushing's Manual of Parliamentary 
Practice. 



POLITICAL ECONOMY. 



Smith's Wealth of Nations. $1.25. 

Say's Political Economy. 

Mill's Political Economy. 2 vols. 

Sismondi's Political Economy. 

Chalmers' Political Economy. 

Wayland's Political Economy. 

Potter's Political Economy. H. D. 
L., No. 124. 

McCuilagh's Industrial History of Free 
Nations. 

Mclntyre's Influence of Aristocracies. 

Sedgwick's Public and Private Econ- 
omy. 3 vols. }l. D. L., No. ISO. 

Carey on Credit System. 

Carey on Wages. 

Gouge's History of Banks and Banking. 

Raguet's Essays on Free Trade. 

Bastiat's Sophisms of the Protective 
Policy. 

Jacob's History of Precious Metals. 

Lieber on Property and Labor. H. D. 
L., x\o. 162. 

McCulloch's Commercial Dictionary. 
2 vols. 

Anderson's History of Commerce. 



McPherson's Annals of Commerce. 
Mayhew's London Labor and Poor. 

Harpers. 
Book of Commerce. 
Craik's History of British Commerce. 
Oomstock's Silver and Gold. 1 v. 12mo. 
Vaughn's Age of Great Cities. 1 vol, 

12mo. 
Hunt's Merchants' Magazine. 
DeBow's Magazine. 
Seaman's Progress of Nations. 
DeBow's Industrial Resources of the 

South and West. 
The Pro-Slavery Argument. 
Fletcher's Studies in Slavery. 
Cobden's White Slaves in England 

Miss Martineau''s Small Books on Cap- 
ital, Labor, 8fc. 

1. Life in the Wilds. 

2. Hill and Valley. 

3. Brooke and Brooke Farm. 

4. Demerara. 



RELIGION, 



Kitto's Cyclopedia of Biblical Litera- 
ture. 2 vols. 8vo. 

Home's Introduction. 

Calmet, Robinson's edi. 

Buck's Theological Dictionary. 

History of Religious Denominations by 
members of the same. 1 vol. 8vo. 

Hayward's Religious Creeds and Sta- 
tistics. 

PALESTINE. 

Robinson's Biblical Researches. 
Kitto's Land of Promise. 



Home's Biblical Geography. 

DeSauley's Bible Lands, a Journey 
round the Dead Sea and in the Bi- 
ble Lands. 1850-1. 2 vols. Svo. 

Lynch's Expedition. 

Stephens' Incidents of Travel. 

Hawes' Impressions of the East. 

Dr. Olin's Travels. 2 v. #'2.50. Har 

Headley's Sacred Mountains. 

Lamartine's Pilgrimage to the Holy 
Land. 

Chateaubriand's do. 

Burder's Oriental Customs, &c. 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



Davidson's Connection of Sacred and 

Profane History. 2 vols. 
Prideaux's Connection of Sacred and 

Profane History. 2 vols. $3.00. Har. 
Turner's Sacred History of the World. 

3 vols. H. D. L., Nos. 238-240. 
Gleig's History of the Bible. 2 vols. 

80 cts. Harpers 



"Works of Josephus. Harpers. 

Milman's History of the Jews. 3 vols. 

H. D. L. 
Kitto's History of Palestine. Sears. 

E-ussel's History of Palestine. H. D. 

L., No. 25. 
Wine's Commentaries on the Hebrew 

Laws. 1 vol. Svo. 
Wise's History of the Israelitish Nation. 
D'Israeli's Genius of Judaism. 

HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. 

Neander's Life of Christ. 1 vol. Svo. 

$2.00. Harpers. 

Fleetwood's Lives of Christ and the 

Apostles. 
Milman's History of Christianity. 

1 vol. Svo. $1.50. Harpers. 

Neander's History of Christianity, (by 

Dr. Torrey.) 
Parterini's General History of the 

Christian Church. 
Mosheim's Church History. 2 vols. 

$3.00. Harpers. 

Mosheim's Institutes of Ecclesiastical 

History. 3 vols. $7.50. Harpers. 
Hind's History of Christianity. 
Kip's Early Conflicts of Christianity. 

1 vol. 12mo. 75 cts. Appletons. 

Kip's Catacombs of Rome, or the 

Church above and below ground. 

12mo. Redjield. 

Osgood's Studies in Christian Biog. 
Bonnechose's Reformers before the 

Reformation. 50 cts. Harpers. 

Lives of Apostles and Early Martyrs. 

25 cts. Harpers. 

REFORMATION. 

Ranke's History of the Popes. 3 vols. 

Bohn. 
Ranke's History of the Reformation. 
Burnet's Hist, of Reformation. 3 v. Svo. 
D'Aubigne's History of Reformation. 
Spalding's Review of D'Aubigne, 
Digby's Ages of Faith. 
Cobbett's History of the Reformation. 
Browning's History of the Huguenots. 



Smedley's Reformation in France. 3 

vols. ISmo. $1.40. Harpers. 

Weis.s' History of French Protestant 

Refugees. Trans, by Rev. Geo. Foot. 

2 vols. 12mo. J. W. Moore. 

Dyer's Life of Calvin. 
Audin's Life of Luther. (Catholic.) 
Audin's Life of Henry VIIL 
LeBas' Life of Cranmer. 2 vols. 

ISmo. $1.00. Harpers. 

LeBas' Life of Wicliflf. 1 vol. 16mo. 

50 cts. Harpers. 



Sewall's History of the Quakers. 

Barclay's Apology for the Quakers. 

Barclay's Life of Penn. 

Barclay's Life of George Fox. 

Neal's History of the Puritans. 

Waddington's History of the Church. 

Benedict's Baptists. 

Gammel's Baptist Missions. 

Wayland's Life of Dr. Judson. 

Choules and Smith's Hist, of Missions. 

Baird's Religion in America. 1 vol. 
Svo. 62 cts. Harpers. 

Southey's Life of Wesley. 2 vols. 
12mo. $200. Harpers. 

Life of Whitfield. 

Moehler's Symbolism. 1 vol. Svo. 

Whately's Kingdom of Christ. 

Maurice's Kingdom of Christ. 

Noel on Union of Church and State. 
12mo. Harpers. 

Lifeof Channing. 3vols. ]2mo. $1.50. 

Whately's Errors of Romanism. 

Hall's Puritans. 

Coit's Puritans. 

Maurice on False Religions and their 
Relations to the True. 

Sale's Koran. 

Irving's Life of Mahomet. 

Bush's Life of Mahomet. 

Weise's Biblical Legends of the Mus- 
sulmans. H. D. L., No. 260. 

NATURAL THEOLOGY, &C. 

Paley's Natu'l Theology, (with Brough- 
am and Bell's notes.) H. D. L,, 
Nos. 6S and 69. 

Paley's Natural Theology. Mass. 
Lib., Nos. 2 and 3. 

Brougham's Natural Theology. 

Bridgewater Treatises. 

Chalmers' Bridgewater Treatise. 1 
vol. 12mo. 60 cts. Harpers. 

Wiseman's Connection of Science and 
Religion. 

Bowen's Lowell Lectures. 1 vol. Svo. 



6 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



Butler's Analogy. H. D, L. No. 222. 
Butler's Analogy. 1 vol. 12mo. Har. 
Hobart's Analysis of Butler's Analogy. 
40 cts. Harpers. 

EVIDENCES, SERMONS AND PRACTICAL 
RELIGION. 

Paley's Evidences. H. D. L., No. 216. 
Spring's Obligations of the World to 

the Bible. 
Keith's Demonstrations. Harpers. 

Faber's Ditiiculties of Infidelity. 
Nelson on Infidelity. 
Chalmers' Evidences. 
Chalmers' Astronomical Discourses. 
Gambler's Moral Evidence. 
Shuttleworth's Consistency. 45 cts. 
Harpers. 
Reinhard's Plan. 
Campbell on the Miracles. 
Leland's View of Deistical Writers. 
Leland's Short Method with a Deist. 
Watson's Apology for the Bible. 
Soame Jenyns' Internal Evidence of 

the Christian Religion. 
Paley's Horse Paulinse. 
Whately's Historic Doubts. 
Locke's Reasonableness of Christianity. 
Dr. J. P. Smith's Scripture and Ge- 
ology. Bohn. 
Rogers' Eclipse of Faith. 
West's Analysis of the Bible. 1 vol. 
8vo. ^.5.00. Scribner. 
Locke's Common-Place Book of the 

Bible. 
Herder's Hebrew Poetry. 
Lowth's Hebrew Poetry. 

Kempis' Imitation of Life of Christ. 

Pascal's Thoughts. 

Mason's Self-Knowledge. 

Foster's Essays. 

Boyle's Reflections. 

Beveridge's Private Thoughts. 

Nevin's Thoughts. 

Cecil's Remains. 

Pollen's Selections from Fenelon. 

Wilson's Sacra Privata. 

Law's Serious Call. 

Feltham's Resolves. 

Bp. Butler's Sermons. 

Doddridge's Rise and Progress. 

Doddridge's Life of Col. Gardiner. 
30 cts. (Methodist Catalogue.) 

Howe's Living Temple. 

Banyan's Pilgrim's Progress, (with- 
out notes.) 

Bunyan's Holy War. 

Dr. Dick's Works. 10 vols. #3.00. 
Biddle. 

Saurin's Sermons. 2 vols. Svo #3.00. 
Harpers. 



Summerfield's Sermons. Svo. $1.75. 
Harpers. 
Arnold's Rugby School Sermons. 
Montague's Selections. 
Hannah More's Works. 7 vols. $5.25. 
Harpers. 
Haze's Mission of the Comforter. 
Trench on the Miracles. 
Trench on the Parables. 
Taylor's Natu'l History of Enthusiasm 
Taylor's Fanaticism. 
Archbp. Leighton's Works. 1vol. Svo. 
Bp. Jeremy Taylor's Holy Living and 

Dying. 
Robert Hall's Works. $6.00. Harpers. 
Times of the Saviour, or Traditions of 

Palestine, by Miss Martineau. 
Gilfillan's Bards of the Bible. 37 cts. 
Harpers. 
Abbott's Young Christian. 
Abbott's Corner- Stone. 
Sturm's Reflections. 
Taylor's Saturday Evening. 
Venn's Complete Duty of Man. 
Ware on Formation of Christian Char- 
acter. 
Abercrombie's Miscellaneous Essays. 
37 cts. Harpers. 

Upham's Life of Madame Guyon. 2 
vols. 12mo. $2.00. Harpers. 

Upham's Life of Madam Catherine 
Adorna. r2mo. 60 cts. Harpers. 
Richmond's Annals of the Poor. 18 

mo. 50 cts. (Methodist.) 
Osgood's Hearth Stone, or Home-Life 

in the City. 
Bungener's Preacher and the King. 
Wayland's Discourses. 
Wayland's University Sermons. 
Buckminster's Sermons. 
Dewey's Discourses on Human Life. 
Dewey's Moral Views of Commerce. 
Chapin's Moral Views of Cities. 
Boardman's Bible in the Counting- 

House. 
Headley's Sacred Scenes. 
Greenwood's Sermons of Consolation. 
Howitt's History of Priestcraft. Harpers. 
Taylor's (Bp. Jeremy) Liberty of 

Prophesying. 
Mrs. Jameson's Sacred and Legendary 

Art. 
Sir Thomas Brown's Urn Burial. 
Sir Thomas Brown's Religio Medici. 
Coleridge's Aids to Reflection. 
Permanent Temperance Documents. 
Grindrod's Bacchus. 
Beecher's Lectures on Intemperance 
Sargent's Temperance Tales. 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



MENTAL AND MORAL PHILOSOPHY. 



Henry's History of Intellectual Philos- 
ophy. 2vols. H. D. L.,Nos. 174,'5. 
Morell's History of Philosophy. 
Fenelon's Ancient Philosophers. H. 

D. L., No. 156. 
Good's Book of Nature. 
Locke's Essay on the Understanding. 

$1.25. 
Cousin's Psychology. 
Stewart's Intellectual Philos'y. 2 vols. 
Upham's Intellectual Philosophy. 2 

vols. $2.50. Harpers. 

Abercronibie on Intellectual Powers. 

H. D. L., No. 20. 
Mcintosh's Ethical Dissertations, 
Watts on the Mind. 
Bowen's Essays. 
Hamilton's Discussions, (Introduction 

by Rev. R. TurnbuU.) 1 vol. 8vo. 

Harpers. 

Upham on Disordered Mental Action. 

H. D. L., No. 113. 
Spurzheim's Physiognomy. 1 vol. 
Spurzheiin's Phrenology. 
Redfield's Comparative Physioa:nomy. 

1 vol. Svo. $2.00. Redfield. 

Combe on Constitution of Man. H. 

D. L., No. 220. 
Essays on Formation of Opinions, (by 

Bailey.) 
Essays on Truth, Evidence, &c., 

(by Bailey.) 
Deleuze's Animal Magnetism. 
Moore's Use of the Body. H. D. L., 

No. 265. 



Moore's Power of Mind over Body. 
12mo. 50 cts. H. D. L., No. 270. 

Townsend's Facts in Mesmerism. 12 
mo. 75 cts. Harpers. 

Cicero's Offices, with Orations, (Sec. 
3 vols. 15mo $1.25. Harpers. 

Seneca's Morals. 

Antoninus' Meditations. 

Jouffrey's Introduction to Ethics. 2 
vols. 12mo. 

Edwards on Will. 

Upham on Will. $1.25. Harpers. 

Tappan's Review of Edwards. 

Abercronibie on Moral Feelings. H. 
D. L., No. 40. 

Paley's Moral Philos. 60 cts. Harpers. 

Wayland's Moral Science. 

Whewell's Elements of Morality. 2 
vols. H. D. L., Nos. 246, 247. 

Dymond's Essays on Morality. 

Coleridge's Aids to Reflection. Harpers. 

Sedgwick's Morals of Manners. 

Lieber's Political Etlii*s. 

Bacon's Essays and Locke. H. D. L., 
No. 170. 

Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments. 

Hedge's Brown's Philosophy. 2 v. Svo. 

Sydney Smith's Sketches of Moral Phi- 
losophy. $1.00. Harpers. 

Boyd's Eclectic Moral Philosophy. 12 
tno. 75 cts. Harpers. 

Wayland's Limitations of Human Re- 
sponsibility. Apjdetons^ 

Mrs. Opie's Illustrations of Lying. 



LOGIC, RHETORIC, COMPOSITION AND ELOCUTION. 



Bacon's Advancement of Learning. 

Mills' Logic. 1 vol Svo. $1.50. Har. 

Whately's Logic. 1 vol. ISmo. 37 cts 

Watts on the Mind. 

Baine's Port Royal Logic. 1 vol. 12mo. 

A. B. Johnson on Language. $1.75. 
Harpers. 

Sir John Stoddart's General Grammar. 

De Sacy's General Grammar. 1 vol. 
12mo. 

Barnard's Polyglott Gram. 1 vol. Svo. 

Brown's Grammar of Grammars. 
1 vol. Svo. 

Fowler's English Language. $1.50. 
Harpers. 

Harrison's English Language. 

Latham's Hand-Book of English Lan- 
guage. 1 vol. 12mo. $1.25. Apple. 

Harris' Hermes. 



Home Tooke's Diversions of Purley. 
Chapin on English Sufllxes. 1 vol. 

Svo. (New Haven.) 
Crabb's Synonyms. 
Trench on the Study of Words. 

2 vols. Redfield. 

Cobbett's English Grammar. 
Whately's Rhetoric. Harpers. 

Kaimes' Elements of Criticism. $1.00. 
Campbell's Philosophy of Rhetoric. 

$1.25. Harpers. 

J. Q. Adams' Lectures on Rhetoric. 

2 vols. Svo. ' 

Blair's Lectures. 
Burke on Sublime and Beautiful. 

75 cts. Harpers. 

Alison on Taste. (Mills' edi.) 12 

mo. 75 cts. Harpers. 

Boyd's Rhetoric. 12ino. 50 cts. Har. 



8 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



Cicero on the Orator. Har. Class. Li- 
brary, No. 37. 

Parker's Aids to Composition. 

Ware's Hints on Extemporaneous 
Preaching. (_Ripley's edi.) 

Ostewald on the Composition and De- 
livery of a Sermon. 1 vol. 18mo. 

Walker's Rhyming Dictionary. 

lloget's Thesaurus of English Words 
and Phrases. 1 vol. Svo- 

Rush on the Voice. 1 vol. Svo. 

Sheridan's Lectures on Elocution. 

Barber's Graiiimar of Elocution. 1 
vol. 12mo. 

Gardner's Music of Nature. 1 vol. Svo. 

Maury's Principles of Eloquence. IS 
mo. H. D. L., No. 183. 

Russel and Murdoch on Orthophony or 
Vocal Culture. 02 cts. Ticknor. 

Porter's Analysis of Rhetorical Deliv- 
ery. 1 vol. 12mo. 



Porter's Lectures on Eloquence and 

Style. 
Walker's Rhetorical Grammar. 1 vol. 

Svo. 
Knox's Principles of Eloquence or 

Hints to Public Speakers. 
Mandeville's Elements of Reading and 

Oratory. 1 vol. 12mo. $1.00. 
Comstock's System of Elocution. 
Caldwell's Manual of Elocution. 
Russell's Pulpit Elocution. 1 v. 12mo. 
Campbell's Lectures on Systematic 

Theology and Pulpit Eloquence. 
Fenelon's Dialogues on Eloquence. 
Francis' Orators of the Age. H. 

D. L., No. 269. 
Leland's Demosthenes. H. D. L., 

Nos. 236, 237. 
Leland's Demosthenes. Harpers' Class. 

Library, Nos. 3, 4. 
Duncan's Cicero. Harpers' Classical 

Library, Nos. 8-10. 



EDUCATION. 



SYSTEMS, fcC. 

Connecticut Common School Journal. 

1838-1S42. 4 vols. 4to 
Connecticut Common School Journal. 

1849-1 S53. 4 vols. Svo. 
Mass. Common School Journal. 14 v. 
Massachusetts Teacher. 
N. York District School Journal. 11 v. 
Penn. Common School Journal. 1 vol. 
Journal of Rhode Island Institute of 

Instruction. 3 vols. Svo. 
Rhode Island Educational Magazine. 

2 vols. Svo. 
Barnard's Report, on Rhode Island 

Schools. 184,'). 
Barnard's School Sys. of Conn. 1853. 
Randall's Common School System of 

New York. 
Journal and Annals of Education, (by 

Woodbridge, Alcott, Russell, &c.) 

14 vols. 
Barnard on Normal Schools. 1 vol. Svo. 
Barnard on Pub. Education in Europe. 
Barnard on School Architecture. 
Barnard on Education of Children 

in Factories. 
Stowe on Common Schools and Teach- 
ers' Seminaries. 
Wayland on College Systems. 
Smith's History of Education. H. 

D. L., No. 209. 
Pray's History of Sunday Schools. 
Kitto's Lost Senses. 



Barnard's Tribute to Gallaudet. (His- 
tory of Deaf and Dumb Inst.) 

Brigham's Mental Cultivation and Ex- 
citement. 

Dick on Improvement of Society. 
H. D L., No. 38. 

Saussure's Fireside Friend. Mass. Lib. 

Xenophon's Cyropedia. H. Class. Lib. 

Edgeworth's Practical Education. 12 
mo. 85 cts. Harpers. 

Foster's Essays on Popular Ignorance. 

Lectures of American Institute of 
Instruction. 

Sears, Edwards and Felton on Class- 
ical Education. 1 vol. 12ino. 

Taylor's Home Education. 1 vol. 
12mo. fl.OO. Appletons. 

L'Aime Martin's Education of Mothers. 

Page's Theory and Practice of Teach- 
ing. Barnes. 

Potter and Emerson's School and 
School-Master. $1.00. Harpers. 

Fowle's Teachers' Institute. 1 v. 12mo. 

Mann's Lectures on Education. 

Palmer's Teachers' Manual. 

Davis' Teacher Taught. 

Burton's District School as it was. 

Alcott's Slate and Blackboard Exercises. 

Goldsbury's Exercises on Blackboard. 

Dunn's School Teacher's Manual. 

Locke Amsden. 

Randall's Mental and Moral Culture. 
C. §• iS. Francis. 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



9 



Mayliew's Popular Education. 1 

vol, r2mo. 
Mansfield's American Education. 1 

vol. 12 mo. 
Nortliend's Teacher and Parent. 1 

vol. 12mo. 
Shuttleworth's Public Education in 

England. 1 vol. Svo. 
young's Manual for Infant Schools. 
Carpenter's Reformatory Schools. 
Fletcher'.s Farm School System. 
Siljestrom's Educational Institutions of 

the United States. (Translated from 

the Swedish.) 1 vol. IQmo. 

DOMESTIC EDUCATION AND ECONOMY. 

Humphrey's Domestic Education. 

Miss Martineau's Household Educa- 
tion. 37 cts. 

Beecher's Domestic Economy. Mass. 
Lib. 

Beecher's Receipt Book. 

Mrs. Child's Mother's Book. 62 cts. 
C ^ S. Francis. 

Webster's Cyclop, of Domestic Econ- 
omy. 1 vol. Svo. $3.75. Harpers. 

Combe on Infancy. 

Phelps' Fireside Friend. 

Thomson's Management of Sick Room. 

Hand- Book of Needle "Work. 

Mrs. Child's Frugal Housewife. 

Leslie's Ladies' Receipt Book. 

Graves' Women in America. H. D. 
L., No. 1S4. 

Parental Instruction. H. D. L., No. 2S4. 

Family Instructor. H. D. L., No. 138. 

Rivers on Poisons and Accidents. 

Timbs' Domestic Economy. 1 vol. 

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND PHYSIOLOGY. 

Griscom's Animal Mechanism and 

Physiology. H. D. L., No. 57. 
Combe's Principles of Physiology. 

H. D. L., No. 15. 
Combe's Constitution of Man. H. D. 

L., No. 220. 
Johnson's Economy of Health. H. 

D. L., No. 217. 
Alcott's House 1 live in. 
Warren on Preservation of Health. 
Peireira on Food and Diet. 
Fowler on Hereditary Descent. 
Cutter's Physiology. 
Moore's Power of Soul over Body. 

H. D. L., No. 270. 
Moore's Use of Body to Mind. H. 

D. L., No. 265. 
Walker's Manly Exercises. 
Walker's Defensive Exercises. 
Lady Equestrian or Art of Riding. 



Kitchener's Invalid's Oracle. 37 cts. 

Harpers. 

Report of Sanitary Commission of 

Massachusetts. 1 vol. Svo. 
Deleuze's Animal Magnetism. 
Spurzheim's Phrenology. 
Ticknor's Philosophy of Living. H. 

D. L., No. 292. 
Upham's Disordered Mental Action. 

H. D. L., No. 113. 
Hufeland's Art of Prolonging Life ; 

(ed. by Wilson.) 1 vol. 12nio. 
A Systematic Course of Gymnastics 

without Apparatus. 5S Illustrations. 

(By M. Roth, M. D.) Advertised 

by Ticknor. 

Pearce on Adulteration of Drugs, &c. 

SELF-EDUCATION. 

Pycroft's Course of Reading. (New 
edition.) C. S. Francis. 

Kent's Course of Reading. 

Potter's Hand-Book for Readers. H. 
D. L , No. 242. 

Todd's Student's Manual. 

Pursuit of Knowledge under Difficul- 
ties. Mass. Lib., Nos. 14, 15, and 
H. D. L., Nos. 55, 56. 

Everett's Practical Education. Mass. 
Library. 

Life of Franklin. H. D. L., Nos. 
51, 52. 

Miss Martineau's How to Observe. 
42 cts. Harjiers. 

Herschel's Manual of Scien'ic Enquiry. 

De La Beche's Geological Observer. 

Bacon's Essays and Locke on Under- 
standing. H. D. L., No. 170. 

Channing's Self-Culture. 

Cobbett's Advice to Young Men. 

Hervey's Rhetoric of Conversation. 
Harpers. 

Beecher's Lectures to Young Men. 
37 cts. 

Hawes' Lectures to Young Men. 

Sprague's Letters to Young Men. 

Sprague's Letters to a Daughter. 

Nott's Counsels to the Young. H. 
D. L., No. 120. 

Sedgwick's Morals of Manners. 

Young Lady's Friend. 

Miss Jewsbury's Letters to the Young. 

Miss Sedgwick's Self-Training for 
Young Women. 

Woman's Mission. 

Muzzy's Young Maiden. 

The Young Ladies' Home. 

Johnson's Memoria Technica. 1 vol. 
Svo. 50 cts. Gould 4* Lincoln. 

Cooper's American Democrat. 



10 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES 



Degerando's Self-Education. 
Watts on the Mind. 
Mason's Self-Knowledge. 

MAGIC AND POPULAR DELUSIONS. 

Foster's Evils of Popular Ignorance. 

McKay's Popular Delusions. 

Crowe's Night-Side of Nature. 1 vol. 

12mo. $1.00. Rcdjield. 

Dendy's Philosophy of Mystery. H. 

D. L., No. 24S. 
Scott on Demonology, &c. H. D. L., 

No. 179. 
Keightly's Fairy Mythology. Bohn. 

Brewster's Natural Magic. H. D. L., 

No. 93. ■ 
Calmet's Phantom World. 
Wright's History of Sorcery and Magic. 

1 vol. 12ino. $'1.25, Redfield. 

Pettigrew's Medical Superstitions. 
Whittier's Supernaturalisni of New 

England. 



Salverte's Philosophy of Magic. H. 
D. L., Nos. 267, 268. 

Sketches of Imposture, Deception and 
Credulity. Zieber fy Co., Philad. 

Magic, Pretended Miracles, i&c. Am. 
Sunday School Union. 

Endless Amusement. 

Tinib's Popular Errors Explained. 

Hudson's Life of Jemima Wilkinson. 

Godwin's Lives of the Necromancers. 

Lane's Modern Egyptians. 

Stone's Life of Matthias. 18mo. 62 cts. 
Harpers. 

De Foe's History of the Devil. 

De Foe's Prospects. 

De Foe's Projects. 

Elliot's Mysteries, and Facts about 
them. 1 vol. 12mo. Harpers. 

Mayo's Letters on the Truths contained 
in Popular Superstitions. 

De Boismont's Hallucinations, or Ra- 
tional History of Apparitions. 

Lindsay 8/- Blakiston. 

Brown on Popular Errors. 



PHYSICAL SCIENCES. 



Brougham's Objects, Advantages and 
Pleasures of Science. H. D. L., 

No. 126. 
Herschel's Preliminary Dis. (Lard- 

ner's Cab. Cyc.) 60 cts. Harpers. I 
Mrs. Somerville on Physical Sciences. 

H. D. L., No. 259. j 

Lardner's Lectures on Science and Art. 
Parnell's Chemistry Applied to Art. 
Arnott's Elements of Physics. 
Beekman's Inventions. 2 vols. 
Euler's Letters on Natural Philosophy. 

H. D. L., Nos. 33, 34. 
Brande's Cyclopedia of Science and 

Art. $4.00. Harpers. 

Whewell's Hist, of Inductive Sciences. 
Whewell's Philosophy of Inductive 

Sciences. 
Treasury of Knowledge. (Chambers.) 
Peterson's Familiar Science. 
Renwick's Illustrations of Natural Phi- 
losophy. H. D. L., No. 83. 
Renwick's Natural Philosophy. H. 

D. L., No. 196. 
Bucke's Beauties and Harmonies of 

Nature. H. D. L., No. 163. 
Hutton's Book of Nature. H. D. L., 

No. 289. 
De Morgan's Essays on Probabilities 

and Application to Life Insurance. 

1 vol. 12mo. (Lardner Cab. Cyc.) 
Espy's Philosophy of Storms. 
Reid's Law of Storms. 



Comte's Philosophy of Mathematics. 
Svo. Harpers. 

ASTRONOMY. 

Herschel's Astronomy. 

Dick's Sidereal Heavens. H. D. L., 

No. 135. 
Dick's Scenery of the Heavens. H. 

D. L.,No. 24. 
Dick's Practical Astronomy. H. D. 

L., No. 250. 
Somerville's Mechanism of Heavens. 
Nichols' Architecture of Heavens. 
Nichols' Solar System. 
Keith on Use of Globes. 
Brewster's Life of Newton. H. D. 

L., No. 27. 
Brewster's Life of Galileo, &c. H. 

D. L., No. 152. 
Olmstead's Letters on Astronomy. 

Mass. Library, No. 20. 
Forry's Meteorology. 
Brocklesby's Meteorology. 
Forry's Treatise on the Climate of the 

United States. 1 vol. Svo. 

NATURAL HISTORY. 

Smellie's Philosophy of Natural His- 
tory. 67 cts. 

Good's Book of Nature. 

Goldsmith's Animated Nature. $2.50. 

Duncan's Sacred Philosophy of the 
Seasons. Mass. Lib., Nos. 7-10. 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



II 



Howitt's Book of the Seasons. 
Godman's American Natural History. 
Uncle Philip's Conversations on N. H. 
History of Insects. 2 vols. (By Ilen- 

nie.) H. D. L., Nos. 6 and 7. 
History of Birds. (By Rennie.) H. 

D. L., No. 82. 
History of Quadrupeds. (By Rennie.) 

H. D. L., No. 89. 
History of Elephants. H. D. L., 

No. 58. 
White's Natural History of Selborne. 

H. D. L., No. 166. 
Parley's Anecdotes of Animal Kingdom. 
Jaeger's Zoology. 42 cts. 
Naturalist's Library. (By Jardine.) 

21 vols, and 40 vols. 
Mudie's Guide to Study of Nature. 

H. D. L., No. 20. 
Wyatt's Manual of Conchology. Svo. 

^2.75. Harpers. 

Wilson and Bonaparte's Ornitholo- 
gy. 4 vols. 
Nuttall's Ornithology. 
Cuvier's Animal Kingdom. 4 vols. 
Agassiz and Gould's Introduction to 

Natural History. 
Library of Entertaining Knowledge. 

Menageries. 
Timbs' Popular Zoology. 
Uncle Philip's Natural History. H. 

D. L., No. 45. 
Uncle Philip's Whale Fishery. H. 

D. L., Nos. 46, 47. 
Darwin's Voyage of a Naturalist. H. 

D. L., Nos. 255, 256. 
Jaeger's Elements of Zoology. 
Harris' Treatise on Insects Injurious to 

Vegetation. 

CHEMISTRY, tC. 

Silliman's Chemistry. 

Draper's Chemistry. 

Renwick's Chemistry. H. D. L. No. 136. 

Parnell's Chemistry applied to Arts. 

Timbs' Chemistry for the People. 

Davis' Manual of Magnetism. 

GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. 

Lyell's Geology. 2 vols. 

Hitchcock's Geology. 

Comstock's Geology. 

Jackson's Geology of Rhode Island. 

Mantell's Wonders of Geology. 2 vols. 

Buckland's Geology. (Bridgewater 

Treatise.) 
Dr. J. Pye Smith's Scripture and 

Geology. Bohn. 

Higgins' Physical Condition of Earth. 

H. D. L., No. 39. 
Lee's Geology. H. D. L., No. 86. 
Miller's Footprints of Creation. 



Miller's Old Red Sandstone. 

Ansted's Ancient World. 

De La Beche's Geological Observer. 

BOTANY, IcC. 

Elements of Vegetable Physiology. 

Gray's Botanical Text-Book. 

Bigelow's Boston Flora. 

Rafinesque's Medical Bot. 2 vols. 12mo. 

Emerson's Trees of Massachusetts. 

Vegetable Substances used for Food of 
Man. H. D. L., No. 59. Lib. Ent. 
Knowledge. 

Timber, Trees, &c., used in the Arts. 
Lib. Ent. Knowledge. 

Mrs. Marcet's Conversations on Vegeta- 
ble Physiology. 

Torrey's Compendium. 1 vol. 12mo. 

Journal of a Naturalist. 1 vol. 12mo. 

Uncle Philip's American Forests. H. 
D. L., No. 19. 

Brown's Trees of America, Native and 
Foreign. $4.50. Harpers. 

AGRICULTURE, &C. 

Johnston's Agricultural Chemistry. 

Johnston's Catechism of Agricultural 
Chemistry. 

Chaptal's Agricultural Chemistry. H. 
D. L., No. 90. 

Fox's Text-Book of Agriculture for 
Schools. Elivood ^ Co., Detroit. 

Stockhardt's Field Lectu's. 1 vol. 12mo. 

Boussingault's Rural Economy. 

Stephens' Farmer's Guide. 2 vols. 
Svo. $6.00. L. Scott fy Co. 

Fessenden's New American Gardener. 
1 vol. 12mo. 

Gardner's Farmer's Dictionary. 

Buel's Farmer's Companion. Mass. Lib. 

Buel's Farmer's Instructor. H. D. L., 
Nos. 53, 54. 

Fessenden's Complete Farmer. 1 vol. 
12mo. 

Johnston's American Farmer's Ency- 
clopedia. 

Gaylord and Tucker's American Hus- 
bandry. H. D. L., Nos. 129, 130. 

Armstrong's Agricultural Gardening. 
H. D. L., No. SS, 

The Cultivator. 

Skinner's Journal of Agriculture. 

Skinner's Farmer's Library. 

Dana's Muck Manual. 

Colman's European Agriculture. 2 vols. 

Colman's Reports on Agriculture of 
Massachusetts. 

Downing's Fruits and Fruit-Trees of 
America. 

Kenrick's American Orchardist. 

Iloaie on the Grape Vine. 



12 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



Cobbett's American Gardener. 
Timbs on Domestic Economy. 
Webster's Cyclopedia of Domestic 
Econo'y. 1 vol. Svo. $3.15. Haryers. 
Five Tliousand Receipts. 
Patent Office Reports. 
Beeclier's Doni. Economy. Mass. Lib. 
Mrs. Hale's New Cook Book. 



Buist's Am. Flower Garden Directory. 
The American Florist. 
Horticultural Magazine. 
Downing's Ladies' Companion to the 

Flower Garden. 
Language of Flowers. 

DO.MESTIC ANIMALS. 

Allen's Domestic Animals. 

Youatt's Cattle Doctor. 

Youatt's Cattle Book. 

Youatt on the Horse, 

Youatt on the Pig. 

Youatt on the Dog. 

Youatt on the Sheep. 

Cocke's American Poultry Book. H. 
D. L., No. 22S. 

Bement's American Poidterer's Com- 
panion. $1.00. Harpers. 

Bevan on the Honey Bee. 

Thatcher on Bees. 

Miner on Bees. 

Mowbray on Poultry. 

Miner on Poultry. 

Stable Economy. 

Miles' Horse's Foot. 20 ct.s. 



LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 

Downing's Landscape Gardening, &c. 
Browne's Trees of America. 
Emerson's Trees of Mass. 1 vol. Svo. 
Hints on Landscape Gardening. 

ARCHITECTURE. 

Downing's Cottage Residences. 

Hand-Book of Architecture. 

Glossary of Architecture. 

Hist, of Architecture, (by Mrs. Tuthill.) 

Wightwick's Hints to Young Architects. 

Hill's Builder's Guide. 

Hatfield's American House Carpenter. 

Fowler and Wells' Home for All. 

Ruskin's Stones of Venice. 

Ruskin's Seven Lamps of Architecture. 

SCULPTURE, PAINTINGS, &c'. 

Reynold's Discourses. 3 vols. 
Lossing's History of Fine Arts. H. 

D. L., No. 157. 
Lanzi's History of Painting. 3 vols. 
Hand-Book of Painting. 
Cunningham's Lives of Painters and 

Scidptors. 3 vols. H. D. L., 

Nos. 229-31. 
Burney's History of Music. 
Hood's History of Music in N. England. 
Lectures on Painting. 
Taylor's Fine Arts in G. Britain. 2 v. 
Holmes' Life of Mozart. H. D. L., 

No. 249. 
Fairholt's Dress as a Fine Art. 4to. 

Jewett ^ Co. 
Chapman's American Drawing Book. 
Redfield. 



COMMERCE 



McCulloch's Commercial Dictionary. 
Anderson's History of Commerce. 
Macpherson's Annals of Commerce. 
Craik's History of British Commerce. 
Book of Commerce. 



Uncle Philip's Whale Fishery. H. 

D. L., Nos. 4G, 47. 
Browne's History of Whale Fishery. 
(See Political Economy.) 



MANUFACTURES, ARTS AND TRADES. 



Timbs' Popular Arts and Manufactures. 
Ure's Philosophy of Manufactures. 
Ure's Dictionary. 

Dodd's British Manufactures. 6 vols. 
Beekman's History of Inventions. 2 v. 
Hazen's Panorama of Trades and 

Professions. 
Bigelow's Useful Arts. 2 vols. Mass. 

Lib., Nos. 11, 12. 



Ameri'n Factories and their Operatives. 
Lowell as it was and is, (by Miles.) 
White's Life of Slater. 
Enterprise, Industry and Art of Man. 

(Goodrich.) 
Dodd's Days at the Factories. 
Head's Tour through Manufacturing 

Districts of England. $1.12. Har. 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES, 



13 



History of Cotton Manufactures in 
U. S. (In White's Life of Slater.) 

Hazen's Popular Technology. H. D. 
L., Nos. 177, 17S. 

Bigelovv's Technology. 1 vol. Svo. 

Dyeing, Calico-Printmg, &;c. $'.3.50. 

Familiar Illustrations of Mechanics. 
H. D. L., No. 66. 

Manufacture of Porcelain and Glass. 
(Cab. Lib.) 

Silk Manufacture. (Cab. Lib.) 

The Book of the Feet, by J. S. Hall. 

Ewbank's Hydraulics. 1 vol. Svo. 

Allen's Mechanics. 1 vol. Svo. 

Pastoral Life and Manners of Ancients. 
Harjiers. 

Renwick's Practical Mechanic. H. 
D. L., No. 99. 

Practical Treatise on Dyeing and Cal- 
ico Printing. 

Engineers and Mechanics' Compan- 
ion. (Scribner.) 

Davis' Surveying, ice. Barnes. 

Farmer's Land Measurer. 

Gillesj^ie's Practical Treatise on Road- 
Making. 

Working JMan's Companion. 



Evans' Millwright's Guide. 

Gilroy on Weaving 

Pilkington's Mechanic's Own Book. 

Scott's Treatise on Cotton Spinning. 

Potter's Science applied to Domestic 

Arts. Mass. Lib. 
Haswell's Engineers and Mechanics' 

Pocket Book. 12mo. $1.25. Harpers. 
Hewes' Lives of Eminent Mechanics. 

'i'S cts. Harpers. 

History of Silk, Cotton, Wool, &c. 

IffS.OO. Harpers. 

Lardner's Railroad Economy. 12mo. 

^'L'^O- Harpers, 

Ward's World in its Workshops. 1 

vol. 12mo. 
World's Fair. 
Art and Industry, or Exhibition of N. 

y. Crystal Palace, 1S53. From 

N. Y. Tribune. $1.00. Redfield. 
A Home for All, or Gravel Wall and 

Octagon Mode of Building a Cheap 

House. Fowler ^ Wells. 

The Natural History of Common Salt, 

its Manufacture, Uses and Dangersj 

(Chr. Knowledge Soc.) 1 v. 16mo. 



GEOGRAPHY? 



Murray's Cyclopedia of Geography. 

3 vols. Svo. 
McCulloch's Gazetteer. 2 vols. Svo. 

$6.00. Harpers. 

Lavoisne's Historical and Genealogical 

Atlas. Folio. 
Baldwin's Pronouncing Gazetteer. 
Koeppen's Atlas of Middle Ages. App. 



Humboldt's Cosmos. Harjiers, 

Guyot's Earth and Man. 

Somerville's Physical Geograjihy. 

Woodbridge's Geography. 

Brocklesby's Meteorology. 

Forry's Meteorology. 

Forry on Climate of United States. 



VOYAGES AND TRAVELS. 



Miss Martineau's How to Observe. 

42 cts. ^Harpers. 

De La Beche's Geological Observer. 
Herschell's Manual of Scien. Enquiry. 
Jackson's How to Observe, or Trav- 
eler's Remembrancer. 
Circumnavigation of the Globe by 

Magellan, &c. H. D. L., No. 31. 
Cook's Voyages Round the Globe. H. 

D. L., No. 211. 
Voyages Round the World. II. D. 

L., No. 273. 
United States' Exploring Expedition. 
History of Maritime Discovery. 3 

vols. 12rao. W. D. Cooley. 

Reynolds' Voyage of the Potomac. 

1831-4. 1vol. Svo. $3.25. Harjjers. 



Reynolds' Pacific and Indian Oceans. 

1 vol. Svo. $1.50. Harpers 

Progress of Discovery in N. America. 
Parry's Voyages for North-West Pas 

sage. H. D. L., Nos. 100, 101. 
Leslie's Discoveries in the Polar Seas. 

H. D. L., No. 67. 
Barrows' Voyagesof Discovery in Arctic 

Regions, 1818-1846. H. D. L., 258. 
Wrangell's Expedition to Siberia and 

Polar Seas. H. D. L., No. 167. 
Narratives of Shipwrecks. 
Perils of the Sea. H D. L., No. 21. 
Davenport's Perilous Adventures. H. 

D. L.,No. 158. 
Sarsient's American Adventures. H. 

D. L , Nos. 153, 1.54. 
Lives and Voyages of Drake, Caven- 
dish and Dampier. H. D. L., No. 48. 



14 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



Seaward's Shipwreck and Discovery in 
Caribbean Sea. H. D. L., No. 206. 

Mutiny of Bounty and Discovery of 
Piteairn's Island. H. D. L., No. 1S6. 

Dana's Two Years before the Mast. 
H. D. L , No. 127. 

Darwin's Journal of a Naturalist in a 
Voyage Round the World. H. D. 
L., Nos. 255, 256. 

Allen's Travels in England, &c. 

Howitt's Visits to Remarkable Places. 

Colman's European Lile and Manners. 
2 vols. 

Fisk's Travels in Europe. 

Durbin's Travels in Europe. (Meth- 
odist Catalogue.) 

Griscom's Year in Europe. 2 vols. 

Baird's Travels in North of Europe. 2 v. 

Kohl's Russia. 

Laing's Sweden. 

Laing's Norway. 

Laing's Notes of a Traveler. 1st and 
2nd Series. 

Laing's Observations on Social and Po- 
litical State of Denmark, &c. 

E. D. Clarke's Travels. 

Turnbull's Austria. 

Howitt's Rural and Domestic Life in 
Germany. 

Kohl's Travels in England, &c. 

Sinclair's Scotland and the Scots. 

Head's Tour in Manufacturing Dis- 
tricts. $1.12. Harp&rs. 

Bulwer's England and the English. 
2 vols. 85 cts. Harjiers. 

Beckford's Italy, Spain, &c. 

Addison's Travels in Italy. (Works.) 

Headley's Italy. 

Eustace's Classical Tour in Italy. 

Emerson's Letters from the ^gEean. 
1 vol. 8vo, 75 cts. 

Headley's Switzerland. 

Bulwer's France. 

Slidell's Year in Spain. 3 vols. 

Slidell's Spain Revisited. 

Robinson's Biblical Researches. 3 vols. 

Lynch's Dead Sea. 

Olin's Travels. 2 vols. $2.50. Har. 

Olin's Travels. (Methodist Catalogue.) 
$1.50. 

Lamartine's Pilgrimage. 74 cts. 

Malcolm's Travels. 2 vols. 

Marco Polo's Travels in China, (Src. 
H. D. L., No. 275. 



Harpers. 



Hue's Travels in Tartary, China, &c. 
Stephens' Travels. 

Parrot's Mount Ararat. H, D. L., 253. 
Father Ripa's Residence in China. 
Davis' China and Chinese. H. D. L., 

Nos. 29, 30. 
Roberts' Siam, Cochin China and Mus- 
cat. $1.75. Harpers. 
Military Operations in Afghanistan. 
Keppel's Expedition to Borneo. H. D. 

L., No. 263. 
Buchanan's Christian Researches. 
Ellis' Polynesian Researches. 4 vols. 

$2.50. Harpers. 

Jameson's Discovery in Africa. H. D. 

L., No. 18. 
Travels in Africa, by Bruce. H. D. L., 

No, 121. 
Travels in Africa, by Park. H. D. L , 

No 125. 
Travels in Africa, by Landers. H. D. 

L., Nos. 171, 172. 
Travels in Africa, by Denham and 

Clapperton. 
Travels in Egypt, by Stephens. 
Travels in Egypt, by Dr. Olin. 
Bclzoni's Egypt. C. & S. Francis' S. L. 
Howitt's Visits to Remarkable Places. 
Howitt's Homes and Haunts of the Poets 
Thompson's Recollections of Mexico. 
Wordeman's Notes on Cuba. 
Latrobe's Rambler in Mexico. 
Sedgwick's Change for American 

Notes. 12 cts. Harpers. 

Paulding's John Bull and Brother 

Jonathan. 
Humboldt's Travels. H. D. L., No. 80. 
Miss Martineau's Society in Amer. 2 v. 
Miss Martineau's Western Travel. 2 v. 
Sir Francis Head's Emigrant. 75 cts. 
Harpers. 
Fremont's Expedition. 
Lewis and Clark's Expedition. H. D. 

L., Nos. 198, 199. 
Gregg's Commerce of the Prairies. 2 v. 
Stephens' Travels. 
Buckingham's Travels. 
Dwight's travels in New England. 
Reed and Matlheson's Visit to Ameri- 
can Churches. 
Mrs. Kirkland's New Home. 

C. fy S. Francis. 
Mrs. Kirkland's Forest Life. 2 vols. 

C. ^ S, Francis, 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



15 



BIOGRAPHY.* 



SACRED, CLERICAL, &C. 

Gallaudet's Scripture Biography. 
Hunter's Sacred Bioo;raphy. 
Life of Christ and Apostles, by Fleet- 
wood. 
Life of Christ, by Neander. 
Life of Christ, by Ware. 
Boole of Benefactors. 
Life of Luther. 

" Calvin, by Dyer. 

" Oberlin. 

'• Howard. 

" Wilberforce. 

" Fenelon. 

" Madame Guyon. 

" Brainerd, 

" Cheverus, 

" Clarkson. 

" Wesley. 

" Whitfield. 

" Channing. 3 vols. 12mo. 

" Haldane. 

" Chalmers. 

" Geo. Fox. Janney's. 1 vol. Svo. 
^•1.75. Lippincott fy Grambo. 

" Geo. Fox. Marsh's. 1 vol. r2mo. 

" Judson. Wayland's. 

DISTINGUISHED MEN ANCIENT. 

Plutarch's Lives. H. D. L , Nos. 92-9-5. 
Lives of Ancient Philosophers. 
Xenophon's Cyrop. H. D. L., No. 168. 
Abbott's Lives of Alexander, Caesar, 

Hannibal, Xerxes, Cyrus, &c. 
Williams' Life of Alexander. 
Middleton's Life of Cicero. 



Distinguished Men of Modern Times. 

H. D. L., Nos. 118, 119. 
Men of the Time. (1852.) 900 Biog. 

Sketches. 1 vol. 12rao. $1.00. Red. 
Roscoe's Leo Tenth. 
Roscoe's Lorenzo De Medici. 
Simms' Life of Chevalier Bayard. 1 

vol. 12mo. Harpers. 
Dover's Frederick the Great. Harpo s. 
James' Charlemagne. H. D. L., No. 175. 
Barrows' Peter the Great. H. D. L. 35. 
Voltaire's Charles XH. 
Lockhart's Life of Napoleon. H. D. 

L., Nos. 13, 14. 
Irving's Life of Mahomet. 
Bush's Life of Mahomet. Hmyers. 



Brewster's Martyrs of Science. Harpers. 
Cunningham's Painters, Sculptors, &c. 

H. D. L., Nos. 229-31. 
Boswell's Johnson. 
Lockhart's Life of Scott. 
Johnson's Lives of the Poets. 
Brewster's Life of Newton. H. D. L , 

No. 27. 
Stanley's Life of Dr. Arnold. 
Moore's Life of Byron. 
Gait's Life of Byron. Harpers. 

Life of John Foster. 

" Addison. 

" Cowper, 

" Leibnitz. 
Goethe's Autobiography. 2 vols. Bohn. 
Sparks' Life of Ledyard. 
Trving's Goldsmith. H. D. L.,109, 110. 
Holmes' Life of Mozart. H. D. L.,249. 



Modern British Plutarch. H. D. L., 

No. 2G2. 
Foster's Statesmen of the Common'lth. 
Russell's Life of Oliver Cromwell. H. 

D. L., Nos. 36, 37. 
Brougham's Statesmen. 
Campbell's Lord Chancellors. 
Campbell's Chief Justices. 
Nugent's Life of Hampden. 
Prior's Life of Burke. Ticknor. 

Horner's Memoirs of Fr. Horner. 2 

vols. Svo. Little ^- Brown. 

Memoirs of Sir James Mackintosh. 

2 vols. Svo. 
Francis' Orators of the Age. H. D. L., 

No. 269. 
Southey's Life of Nelson. H. D. L., 295. 
Croley's George Fourth. Harpers. 

Bell's Life of Canning. H. D. L., 261. 
Moore's Life of Sheridan. 2 vols. 

12mo. $2.00. Redfeld. 

AMERICAN. 

Irving's Life of Columbus. 

Irving's Lives of the Companions of 
Columbus. 

Belknap's American Biography. 

Sparks' American Biography. 1st se- 
ries. 10 vols. H. d" L., Nos. 70-79. 

Sparks' American Biography. 2nd 
series. 13 vols. 

Thatcher's Indian. Biography. H. D. 
L., Nos. IGS, 169. 



• Some of these and many other Biographies are referred to under the bead of History. 



16 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



Stone's Life of Brandt. 2 vols. 
Simms' Life of Capt. John Smith. 
Life of William Penn. 
Knowles' Life of Roger Williams. 
Elton's Life of Roger Williams. 
Life of Sir Henry Vane. 
Marshall's Life of Washington. 
Sparks' Life of Washington. 
Paulding's Life of Washington. H. D. 

L., Nos. 1, 2. 
Headley's Washington and his Genrals. 
Life of Putnam. 
Simms' Lite of Marion. 
Wirt's Life of Patrick Henry. 
Tucker's Life of Jetlerson. 
Tudor's Life of Otis. 
McKenzie's Paul Jones. H. D. L. 251, '2. 
Franklin's Autobiography. H. D. L., 

Nos. 51, 02. 
Frost's Heroes of the Revolution. 
Dwight's Signers of the Declaiation of 

Independence. H. D. L., No. 91. 
Life of Jackson. 

" General Scott. 
McKenzie's Life of Commodore Perry. 

H. D. L., Nos. 107, lOS. 
Renvi'ick's DeWitt Clinton. Harpers. 
Pinckney's Life of Pinckney. 1 vol. 

Svo. :jji2.00. Appletons. 

White's Life of Samuel Slater. 1 v. &vo. 



Noble Deeds of Woman. 

Lives of Distinguished Females. H. D. 

L., No. 291. 
Burder's Biography of Pious Women. 
Mrs. Jameson's Memoirs of Female 

Sovereigns. H D. L., Nos. 41, 42. 
Memoirs of Hannah More. 
" Mrs. Fry. 

" " Jane Taylor. 
" " Isabella G-raham. 
" " Mrs. Hemans. 
Abbott's Life of Maria Antoinette. 
Abbott's Madame Roland. 
Abbott's Mary Queen of Scots. 
Bell's Life of Mary Queen of Scots. 

H. D. L., Nos. 2S5, 2S6- 
Memes' Memoir of Empress Josephine. 

H. D. L., No. 173. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Pursuit of Knowledge under Difficul- 
ties. Mass. Lib., Nos. 14, 15. 
Thatcher's Medical Biography. 
Williams' Medical Biography. 
Biography of Self-Taught Men. 2 vols. 
Lives of Celebrated Travelers. Har. 



HISTORY.* 



Priestly's Lectures on History. 
Arnold's Lectures on History. 
Blair's Chronological and Historical 

Tables. (Enlarged by Sir H. Ellis.) 

Svo. $7.50. Appletons. 

Nicholas' Chronology of History. 1 vol. 

12mo. (Lardner's Cab. Cyc.) 
Munsell's Every-Day Book of Chronol. 
Haskell's Chronological View of World. 
Haskell's Stream of Time. (Map.) 
Worcester's Chronological Tables. 
Oxford Chronological Tables. Folio. 
Haydn's Dictionary of Dates. 
Spruhner's Hand Atlas. (Hist. Maps.) 
Koeppen's Historical Atlas. A2)pletons. 
Midler's Universal History. 4 vols. 

Mass. Lib., Nos. 22-25. 
MuUer's Universal History, (continued 

to 1S53, by W. R. Murray.) 1 vol. 

Svo. Phillips ^~ Sampson. 



Tytler's Universal History. H, D. L., 

Nos. 60-G5. 
Cyclopedia of History. 
Bossuet sur I'Histoire Universelle. 
Turnbull's Christ in History. 1 v. 12mo. 
Keightley's Outlines of History. (Lard- 

ner Cab. Cyc.) 
MagnaU's Historical Questions. 1 vol. 

r2mo. $1.00. Applelons. 

Dew's Ancient and Modern Nations. 
Bruce's Classic and Modern Historic 

Portraits. 1 vol. 12mo. 
Schlegel's Philosopihy of History. 2 v. 

Bohn. 

Weber's Universal History. 1 vol. bvo. 

Jenks, Hickling <§* Siva7i. 

Beauties of History, (by L. M. Stretch.) 

1 vol. 12mo. Crrigg ^ Elliott. 



Old Testament. Townsend's Chrono- 
logical Arrangement. 



* Under this head we have included some Biographies and Travels, and also some Historical 
Novpls by way of illustration. 



I BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



IT 



Kitto's Pictorial Bible. 

Rollin's Ancient History. 2 vols. Har. 

Taylor's Manual of Ancient History. 
(Henry's edi.) 1 vol, 8vo. Appletons. 

Heeren's Researches into the Politics, 
Intercourse and Trade of the Princi- 
pal Nations of Antiquity. 6 vols. 8vo. 

Turner's Sacred History of the World. 
fl. D. L., Nos, 238-240. 

Taylor's Natural History of Society. 
2 vols. r2mo. $2.25. Appletons. 

Bucke's Ruins of Ancient Cities. 2 
vols. H. D. L., Nos. 160, 161. 

Pastoral Life and Manners of Ancients. 

1 vol. Svo. Harpers. 
Arts, Manufactures and Manners of 

Greeks and Romans, by Lardner, 

Fosbrook and Dunham. 2 vols. 

(Lard. Cab. Cyc.) 
History of Geography. (See Murray.) 
History of Discovery. 3 vols. (Lard. 

Cab. Cyc ) 
Salkeld's Greek and Roman Antiquities. 

H. D. L., No. 290. 
Niebuhr's Lectures on Anci'nt Hist. 3 v. 
Ewbank's Hydraulics and Mechanics. 
History of Commerce. (See Commerce.) 

KOYPT, ASSYRIA, AND LANDS CO.NNKCTKD 
WITH THE BIBLE. 

Russell's Egypt. Harpers. 

GUddon's Ancient Egypt. 
Hawk's Egypt and its Monuments. 
Hengstenberg's Egypt and the Books 

of Moses. 
Kenrick's Egypt under the Pharaohs. 

2 vols. 12mo. $2.50. Redjield. 
Wilkinson's Ancient Egyptians. 2 

vols. 12mo. Little fy Brown. 

Layard's Nineveh. 
Buried Cities of the East. (National 

Illustrated Library.) 
Benoni's Nineveh and its Palaces. 

(London Illustrated Library.) 
Stephens' Arabia Petrcea, &c. Harpers. 
Dr. Olin's Travels. 

Parrot's Mt. Ararat. H. D. L. , No. 253. 
Buchanan's Christian Researches. 
Robertson's Ancient India. 
Crichton's Arabia. 2 vols. ISmo. 90cts. 
Harpers. 
Frazer's Mesopotamia and Syria. H. 

D. L., No. 201. 

JEWS. 

(See Religion.) 



Outline History of Greece, by Christian 
Knowledge Society. 

Thomas, Cowperthwait S/- Co. 
Goldsmith's Greece. H. D. L., No. 81. 



Pinnock's Goldsmith. 

Beloe's Herodotus. 3 v. H. C. L., 29-313 

Thucydides. H. C. L., Nos. 22, 23. 

Cooper's Xenophon. H. D. L., 1S8. 

Spelman and Cooper's Xenophon. H. 
D. L., Nos. 1, 2. 

Homer. H. C. L„ Nos. 32-4. 

Demosthenes. H. C. L., Nos. 3, 4. 

Demosthenes. H. D. L., Nos. 23r, 237. 

Mitford's Greece (Redesdale's edi.) 

Thirlwall's Greece. 2 vols. Svo. S3. 00. 
Harpers. 

Gillie's Greece. 1 vol. Svo. 

Grote's Greece. 13 vols. ]2mo. Har. 

Plutarch's Lives. H. D. L., 92-9.5. 

Heeren's Politics of Greece. 1 vol. Svo. 

Keightley's Mythology of Greece and 
Italy. 

Anacharsis' Travels in Greece. 

Ramsay's Travels of Cyrus. 

Wordsworth's Greece, Pictorial, De- 
scriptive and Historical. 

Emerson's Letters from the iEgasan. 
1 vol. Svo. 75 cts. Harpers, 

Pococke's India in Greece. 1 vol. r2mo. 

Bulwer's Athens. 2 vols. $1.20. Harl 

Lockhart's Athens. 1 vol. Svo. Putnam. 

Williams' Life of Alexander the Great. 
H. D. L., No, 32. 

Quintus Curtius. 

Abbott's Life of Alexander. 
" " " Xerxes. 

" " " Darius. 

" " " Cyrus. 

Fenelon's Telemachus. 

Moore's Epicurean. 1 vol. 12mo. 

Coleridge's Study of Greek Classic 
Poets. 1 vol. 12mo. 

Browne's Greek Classical Literature. 



Outline History of Rome, by Christian 

Knowledge Society. 
Goldsmith's Rome, abridged. 
Pinnock's Goldsmith. 
Ferguson's Rome. 1 vol. Svo. 
Ferguson's Rome, abridged. 
Arnold's Rome. 1 vol. Svo. Appletons. 
Arnold's Later Roman Commonwealth, 
Michelet's Rome. Bohn. 

Keightley's Roman Empire. 
Merivale's Rome under the Ernpire. 
Gibbon's Rome. 

Newman's Regal Rome. 1 vol. 12mo. 
Baker's Livy. H. C. L., Nos. 24-28. 
Duncan's Caesar. H. C. L., Nos. 6, 7. 
Duncan's Cicero. H. C. L., Nos. 8-10. 
Rose's Sallust. H. C. L., No. 5. 
Tacitus. 

Hampton's Polybius. 
Middleton's Life of Cicero. 
Elliott's Liberty of Rome. 



18 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



Twiss' Epitome of Niebuhr's Rome. 

Niebubr's Lectures, 3 vols. 

Eustace's Classical Tour. 

Pompeii. Lib. Entertain. Knowledge. 

Plutarch's Lives. H. D. L., No. 92-5. 

Dunlop's Roman Literature. 2 vols. 

Vertot's Revolutions of Rome. 

Montesquieu on the Greatness and De- 
cline of Rome. 

Abbott's Life of Caesar. 

Hannibal. 
Cleopatra. 

Verri's Eoman Nights. 2 vols. 

Lockhart's Valerius. Harpers. 

Antonina, or the Fall of Rome. Harpers. 

"Ware's Probus, or Letters from Rome. 

Ware's Zenobia, or Letters from Pal- 
myra. 

Bulwer's Last Days of Pompeii. 

Herbert's Roman Traitor. 

MODERN HISTORY. — EUROPE. 

Taylor's Manual of Modern History. 

(Henry's edi.) 1 vol. Svo. Apptetons. 
Michelet's Elements of Modern History. 

H. D. L., No. 24L 
Smyth's Lectures on Modern History. 

(Spark's edi.) 
Lord's Modern History. 
Schlegel's Lectures on Modern History. 
Guizot on European Civilization. 
James' Lectures on Modern Civiliza- 
tion. 12mo. Harpers. 
Greene's Historical Studies. 
Bruce's Classic and Modern Historic 

Portraits. 

Dew's Ancient and Modern Nations. 

Appletons. 

Ungewitter's Europe Past and Present. 

Taylor's Revolutions, Insurrections and 

Conspiracies of Europe. 2 vols. Svo. 
Mclntyre's Influence of Aristocracies. 
Sismondi's Literature of South of 

Europe. 2 vols. Bohn. 

Sismondi's Literature of South of 

Europe. Harpers. 

Hallam's Introduction to Literature of 

Europe. $3.50. Har]?ers. 

Hallam's Middle Ages. $1.75. Harpers. 
Digby's Ages of Faith. 
James' Chivalry and Crusades. H. D. 

L., No. 26. 
Froissart's Chronicles. 
Mills' History of Chivalry. 
Michaud's History of the Crusades. 

3 vols. 12mo. $3.75. Redjield. 

Secret Societies. Lib. Enter. Knowl. 
James' Life of Charlemagne. H. D 

L., No. 176. 
Wheaton's Denmark, Sweden and Nor- 
way, H. D. L., No. 164, 165. 



History of Iceland, Greenland, &c. H. 

D. L., No. 155. 
Uncle Philip's Lost Greenland. H. D. 

L., No. 128. 
Voltaire's Charles 12th. 
Wheaton's History of the Northmen. 

1 vol. &V0. 

Antiquitates Americanae. 1 vol. 4to. 
Smith's Northmen in New England. 
Baird's Visit to Northern Europe. 2 v. 
Bell's Russian Empire 3 vols. 
Barrows' Peter the Great. H. D. L., 35. 
Voltaire's Peter the Great. 
E. D. Clarke's Travels. 
Kohl's Travels. 
Oliphant's Russian Shores of the Black 

Sea. Redfield. 

Smith's Year with the Turks. Redjield. 
Wrangell's Expedition to Siberia. H. 

1). L., No. 167. 
Fletcher's History of Poland. H. D. L., 

No. 182. 
Madame De Stael's Germany. 
Kolrauch's Germany. Appletons. 

Menzel's History of Germany. 3 vols. 
Coxe's House ol Austria. 3 vols. Bohn. 
Robertson's Charles 5th. $1.50. Har. 
Robertson's Charles 5th, abridged. H. 

D. L., No. 219. 
Robertson's Charles 5th. New edition. 

Notes by Prof. Creasy. 
Dover's Frederic the Great. 90 cts. 
Schiller's Thirty Years War. H. D. 

L., No. 264. 
Schiller's Thirty Years War. Bohn. 
Schiller's Revolt of the Netherlands. 

H. D. L., No. 266. 
Grattan's Netherlands. 
Mrs. Trollope's Belgium and West 

Germany. 2 vols. 
Styles' Austria in 1848 and 1849. 2 

vols. Svo. Harpers. 

Gorgey's Life and Acts in Hungary. 

12mo. Harpers. 

Kohl's Austria. 

Laing's Notes of a Traveller in Germ'y. 
Howitt's Rural and Domestic Life in 

Germany. 
Headley's Rhine. 
TurnbuU's Travels. 
Elliott's Travels. 
Fisk's Travels. 

Feuerbach's Criminal Trials in Germa- 
ny. H. D. L., No. 254. 
Sismondi's Switzerland. H. D. L., 190. 
Sforzozi's Italy. Tr. by N. Greene. 

45 cts. Haipers. 

Spalding's Italy. H. D. L., No. 203-5. 
Sismondi's Italian Republics. H. D. 

L., No. 189. 
Sraedley's Venetian History. 2 vols. 

H. D. L., Nos. 233, 234. 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



19 



Machlavelli's Florence. 
Roscoe's Lorenzo De Medici. 1 vol. 
Roscoe's Leo 10th. 2 vols. Bohn. 

Ranke's Popes. 3 vols. Bohn. 

McFarlane's Romance of Hist. 70 cts. 
Addison's Travels. (Works.) 
Eustace's Classical Tour. [ly. 

Evans' Classic and Connoisseur in Ita- 
Bulwer's Rienzi. 
Beckford's Italy. 
Ranke's Ottoman Empire. 
Beauvet's Turks in Europe. 16mo. 
50 cts. Harpers. 

Dr. S. G. Howe's Greek Revolution. 

GREAT BRITAIN. 

Outline History of England, by Chr. 

Knowl. Soc. Thomas, Cowper. fy Co. 
Frost's Beauties of English History. 

H. D. L., No. 27S. 
Keightley's History of England 5 vols. 

H. D. L., Nos. 1(32-106. 
Goldsmith's England. 
Plnnock's Goldsmith. 
Davies' British Druids. 1 vol. 8vo. 
Wright's " The Celt, the Roman and 

the Saxon." 
Caesar. 
Tacitus. 
Turner's History of the Anglo-Saxons. 

2 vols. 8vo. 

Pauli's Life of Alfred, trans, by Wright. 

Abbott's Life of Alfred. 

Abbott's Lifeof William the Conqueror. 

Thierry's Norman Conquest. 

Knight's Pictorial History of England. 
English edition. 8 vols. 8vo. 

Martineau's Thirty Years Peace. Sup- 
plement to Knight. 2 vols. 8vo. 

Knight's Pictorial England. 4 vols. Svo. 
published ; down to Reign of 

$12.00. Harpers. 

Hume's England. 6 vols. 1*^3.00. 

Smollett's England. 

Bissett's England. (Reign of Geo. 3rd.) 

Lingard's England. (Catholic View.) 
13 vols. Phillips 4* Sampson. 

Mcintosh's England. Harpers. 

Mcintosh's England. 3 vols. Lard- 
ner Cab. Cyc. 

Porter's Progress of the British Nation. 

3 vols. 

Hallam's Constitutional History of En- 
gland. 1 vol evo. $1.75. Harpers. 

Sullivan's Lectures on Feudal System. 

Histories of Reformation. (See Re- 
ligion.) 

Aiken's Queen Elizabeth. 

Abbott's Queen Elizabeth. 

Miss Aiken's James 1st. 

Miss Aiken's Charles 1st. 



Abbott's Charles 1st. 

Carlyle's Letters and Speeches of Oliver 

Cromwell. 2 vols. 11 mo. $2.00. 
Russell's Life of Cromwell. H. D. L., 

Nos. 36, 37. 
D'Aubigne's Cromwell. (A defense.) 

1 vol. 12mo. 

Neal's History of Puritans. 2 v. $3.00. 
Foster's Statesmen of Commonwealth. 

$L50. Harpers. 

Guizot's English Revolution. 
Abbott's Charles 2nd. 
Nugent's Life and Times of Hampden. 
Alison's Life of Duke of Marlborough. 

12mo. $1.50. Harpers. 

Coxe's Life of Duke of Marlborough. 

3 vols. Bohn. 

Jesse's Memoirs of the Pretenders and 

their Adherents. 
Croly's Life of George 4th. 45 cts. 
Francis' Orators of the Age. H. D. L., 

No. 269. 
Regnault's Criminal History of English 

Government. 1 vol. 12mo. 
The Black Book. 1 vol. 8vo. 
Schomberg's Theocratic Philosophy of 

English History. 2 vol. Svo. Putnam. 
Goodman's Social History of England 

in Time of Stuarts. Putnam. 

Domestic Architecture of England from 

Conquest to 13th Century. 
Bulwer's England and the English. 

2 vols. 85 cts. Harpers. 
Stanton's Reforms and Reformers of 

England. 
Bell's Life of Canning. H. D. L.,261. 
Modern British Plutarch. H. D. L. , 262. 
Southey's Life of Nelson. H. D. L., 295. 
Gleig's Waterloo. 90 cts. Harpers. 
Jomini's Campaign of Waterloo. 1 

vol. 12mo. Redfield. 

Boswell's Johnson. 2 vols. $3.00. 
Moore's Life of Sheridan. 2 vols. 

12mo. $2.00. Redfield. 

Brougham's Historical Sketches of 

British Statesmen. 
Campbell's Lives of Lord Chancellors. 
Campbell's Lives of Chief Justices. 
Letters of Junius. 
Prior's Life of Burke. 
Tomline's Life of Pitt. 
Life of Fox, by Lord John Russell. 
Z. Allen's Practical Tourist. 2 v. 12mo. 
Howitt's Homes and Haunts, &c. 2 

vols. $3.00. ' Harpers. 

Howitt's Visits to Remarkable Places. 
Mrs. Sigourney's Pleasant Memories. 
Sedgwick's Change for Ameri. Notes. 
Kohl's Travels. 
Colman's European Life and Manners. 

2 vols. 12mo. 



20 



BOCXKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



Head's Tour in Manufacturing Dis- 
tricts. $1.12. Harpers. 

McKenzie's American in England. 
2 vols. $1.50. Harpers. 

Scott's Historical Novels. 

Bulwer's Harold. 

Bulwer's Last of Barons. 

James's Historical Novels. 

Robertson's Hist, of ifcotland & India. 
I vol. 8vo. $1..'J0. Harpers. 

Scott's History of Scotland. 2 vols. 
H. D. L., Nos. 144, 145. 

Scott's Tales of a Grandfather. 7 vols. 
$3.50. C. ^ S. Francis. 

Bell's Mary Queen of Scots. 

Abbott's Mary Queen of Scots. 

Logan's Celtic Antiquities. 

Aytoun'sLaysofthe Scottish Cavaliers. 
1 vol. $1.00. Redfield. 

Moore's History of Ireland. 

Taylor's History of Ireland. 2 vols. 
18mo. 90 cts. Harpers. 

Kohl's Ireland. 12 cts. Harpers. 

Phillips' Curran, Grattan and Etnmet. 

Moore's Life of Lord Edward Fitzge- 
rald. 2 vols. $1.00. Harpers. 

Shiel's Sketches, of the Irish Bar. 

Redjield. 

Field's Irish Confederates and Rebel- 
lion, 179S. 12mo. 90 cts. i/ar^crs. 

Phillips' Curran and Cotemporaries. 
12mo. 87 cts. Harpers. 

Barrington's Sketches and Memoirs of 
his own times. $1.25. Redjield. 

Martin's British Colonies. 

Warburton's Conquest of Canada. 2 
vols. r2mo. $1.70. Harpers. 

Rule and Misrule of English in Amer- 
ica. 1 vol. 12mo. 75 cts. Harpers. 



Outline History of France, by Christian 
Knowl. Soc. Thomas, Cowper. Sr Co. 

Frost's Beauties of French History. H. 
D, L , No. 2S0. 

Crowe's History of France. 3 vols. H. 
D. L, No. 141-3. 

Pictorial History of France. 

Michelet's History of France. 2 vols. 

Stephens' Lectures on History of 
France. $1.75. Harpers. 

Smyth's Lectures on the French Revo- 
lution. 3 vols. 8vo. 

Dumas' Democ. in France. 1 vol. 12mo. 

Bulwer's France. 2 vols. 90 cts. Har. 

Browning's History of the Huguenots. 

Sismondi's History of the Albigenses. 

Weiss' French Protestant Refugees. 
2 vols. 12mo. 

Ranke's Civil Wars in France. 

James' Henry IV. 2 vols. Harpers. 



James' Louis XIV. 4 vols. 8vo. 

Miss Pardoe's Louis XIV. 2 vols. $3.50. 

History of the Bastile and its Principal 
Captives. 1 vol. 12rno. 

Thiers' French Revolution. 4 vols. 

Carlyle's French Revolution. 2 vols. 
12mo. $2.00. Harpers. 

Lamartine's History of the Girondists. 
3 vol%. $2.10. Harpers. 

Life of Lafayette. 

Beauchesne's Louis XVII. 2 vols. 
12mo. $2.00. Harpers. 

Lord John Russell, on the Causes of 
French Revolution. 1 vol. Svo. 

Moore's Causes and Progress of French 
Revolution. 

Young's Travels in France. 1787-9, 

Burke's Reflections on French Rev- 
olution. (Works.) 

Burke's Letters on Regicide Peace. 
(Works.) 

Mcintosh's VindiciaeGallicEe. (Works.) 

Abbott's Life of Marie Antoinette. 
Madame Roland. 
Napoleon. 

Scott's Life of Napoleon. 

Hazlitt's Life of Napoleon. 

Lockhart's Life of Napoleon. 2 vols. 
H. D. L., Nos. 13, 14. 

Lockhart's Camp and Court of Na- 
poleon. H. D. L., No. 181. 

Alison's History of Europe. 4 vols. 
$4.75. Harpers. 

Thiers' Consulate and Empire 

Headley's Napoleon and his Marshals. 
$2.00. 

Pictorial History of Napoleon. 2 vols. 
Svo. $3.50. Appletons. 

Napoleon Dynasty, or History of the 
Bonaparte Family, by the Berkeley 
Family. 1 vol. Svo. $2.5.0. Wiley. 

Jomini's Campaign of Waterloo. 1 
vol. 12mo. 75 cts. Redfield. 

Segur's Napoleon's Expedition to Rus- 
sia. 2 vols. H. D. L.,No. 150, 151. 

Memes' Life of Josephine. H. D. L., 
No. 173. 

Las Casas' Napoleon. Redfield. 

Montholon's Napoleon at St. Helena. 

O'Meara's Napoleon in Exile. 2 vols. 
12mo. $2.00. Redfield. 

History of Captivity of Napoleon from 
Letters and Journals of Sir Hudson 
Lowe, &c, by Wm. Forsyth. 2 vols. 

Lamartine's History of the Restoration. 

C. Cushing's Recollections of Revolu- 
tion of 1S30. 

Poore's Revolution of 1830. 

Poore's Rise and Fall of Louis Phillippe. 
1 vol. $1.00. Ticknor. 

Cass' France, its King and Court. 
1 vol. 12mo. 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



21 



Lady Morgan s France. 1829-30. 2 
vols. 70 cts. Harpers. 

Corcran's History of Constituent As- 
sembly of 1848. 12mo. 90 cts. 

Orators of France. 

Sketches of Eminent Frenchmen. 1 
vol. 12nio. 

Herbert's Chevaliers of France. Red. 

Vericour's French Litera're. 1 v. 12mo. 

Ritchie's Romance of History. France. 
70 cts. Harpers. 

SPAtN, &c. 

Dunham's Spain and Portugal. 4 vols. 

Lardner's Cab. Cyc. 
Dunham's Spain and Portugal. H. 

D. L., Nos. 191-5. 
Prescott's Ferdinand and Isabella. 

$6.00. Harpers. 

Irving's Conquest of Granada. 2 vols. 
Irving's Life of Columbus. 3 vols. 8vo. 
Florian's Moors in Spain. H. D L.,117. 
Robertson's Charles V. (Notes by 

Prof. Cressy.) 
Watson's Philip II. 2 vols. 
Napier's Peninsular War. 4 vols. 
Napier's Peninsular War. 1 vol. 8vo. 

$2.50. Redfield. 

Vane's Peninsular War, $1.00. Har. 
Sismondi's Literature of South of Eu- 
rope. 2vols. 12mo. $1.80, Harpers. 
Sismondi's Literature of South of 

Europe. Bohn. 

Ticknor's Spanish Literature. $6.00. 
Sorrow's Bible in Spain. 
Lockhart's Spanish Ballads. 
Cushing's Recollections of Spain 2 v. 
Beckford's Italy, Spain and Portugal. 

2 vols. 
McKenzie's Year in Spain. $2.25. 
McKenzie's Spain Revisited. $1.75. 



Davis' History of China. 2 vols. 

Smith's Consular Cities of China. 
12mo. $1.25. Harpers. 

Davis' China and Chinese. 2 vols. H. 
D. L., Nos. 29, 30. 

Chinese Insurrection. 12mo. 75 cts. 

Williams' Middle Kingdom. 2 vols. 

Marco Polo's Travels in China. H. D. 
L., No. 275. 

Father Ripa's Residence in China. 

Hue's Travels in Tartary, China and 
Thibet. 2 vols. 

History of Japan. H. D. L., No. 149. 

Ludwig's Japan. Redfeld. 

Roberts' Siam, Cochin China and Mus- 
cat. 8vo. $1.75. Harpers. 

Malcolm's Travels. 2 vols. 12mo. 

Robertson's Ancient India. 



Martin's East India Company's Pos- 
sessions. 2 vols. 

Barrows' British India. 

History of British India, by Murray, 
&c. 3 vols. Harpers. 

Frazer's Afghanistan. 

Buchanan's Christian Researches in 
Asia. 

Crichton's Arabia. 2vols. 18mo. 90 cts. 

Irving's Life of Mahomet. 

Bush's Life of Mahomet. 45 cts. 

Harpers. 

Sale's Koran. 

Biblical Legends of the Mussulmans. 
H. D. L., No. 260. 

Ranke's Ottoman Empire. 

Ockley's Hist, of the Saracens. Bohn. 

Frazer's Persia. H. D. L., No. 187. 

Frazer's Mesopotamia and Syria. H. 
D. L., No. 201. 

Stephens' Arabia Petrsea, &c. 

Grant's Nestorians. $1.00. Harpers. 



History of the Moors. 

Murray's Narrative of Discov. in Africa. 

Jameson's Discovery in Africa. H. D. 

L., No. 18. 
Bruce's Travels in Africa. H. D. L., 

No. 121. 
Lander's Travels in Africa. H. D. L., 

Nos. 171, 172. 
Park's Travels in Africa. H. D. L., 

No. 125. 
Russell's Egypt. 

Russell's Barbary States. H. D. L., 137. 
Russell's Nubia and Abyssinia. H, D. 

L., No, 185, 
Lance's Modern Egyptians. 2 vols. 



Russell's Polynesia. H. D. L., 224. 
United States Exploring Expedition. 
Keppel's Expedition to Borneo. H. D. 

L., No. 263. 
Barrows' Pitcairn's Island and Mutiny 

of the Bounty. H. D. L., No. 186. 
Cook's Voyages. H. D. L., No. 211. 
Ellis' Polynesian Researches. 4 vol?. 

$2.50. Harpers. 

AMERICA. — GENERAL. 

Robertson's History of America. Har. 
Robertson's Hist, of America. Abrid. 

H. D. L., No. 213. 
Holmes' Annals. 2 vols. Svo. 
Murray's British America. 2 vols. H. 

D. L., Nos. HI, 112. 
Tytler's Discovery in North America. 

H. D. L., No. 207. 



22 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE UBRARIE3. 



Belknap's American Biography. H. 

D. L , Nos. 146-8. 
Irving's Life of Columbus. 1 v. 12mo. 

Mass. Lib. 
Wheaton's History of the Northmen. 

] vol. 8vo. 
Antiquitates Americanae. 1 vol. 4to. 
Smith's Northmen in New England. 

MEXICO AND SOUTH AMERICA. 

Prescott's Conquest of Mexico. Har. 

Thompson's Recollections of Mexico. 

Latrobe's Rambler in Mexico. Harpers. 

Humboldt's Travels. H. D. L., No 80. 

Carpenter's Travels in Mexico. Har. 

Stephens' Yucatan, Sec. 

Norman's Rambles in Yucatan. 2 vols 

Squier's Nicaragua. 

TurnbuU's Cuba. 

Walsh's Notices of Brazil. 2 vols. 

Prescott's Conquest of Peru. Harpers. 



Thatcher's Indian Biography. 2 vols. 

H. D. L., Nos. 168, 169. 
Thatcher's Traits of Indian Character. 

2 vols. H. D. L, Nos. 16, 17. 
Stone's Border Wars. 2 vols. H. D. 

L., Nos. 226, 227. 
Schoolcraft's Indian Tales. 2 vols. 

$1.25. Harpers. 

Poetry and History of Wyoming. 
Frost's Book of the Indians. 
Catlin's North American Indians. 2 

vols. 8vo. 
Stone's Life of Red Jacket. 
Drake's Book of the Indians. 
Parkman's Conspiracy of Pontiac. 

8vo. ^2.50. 

UNITED STATES. 

Chalmer's American Colonies. 2 vols. 

Bancroft's History of United States. 

Graham's History of United States. 

Hildreth's History of United States. 

Hale's History of United States. H. 
D, L. Nos. 96, 97. 

Frost's Pictorial History United States. 

Goodrich's Pictorial Hist. United Stales. 

Mrs. Williams' Neutral French. 

Cooper's Naval History. 2 vols. Svo. 

Frost's Book of the Navy. 

Frost's Book of the Army. 

Kip's Jesuits in America. 1 vol. 12mo. 

Blake's American Revolution. H. D. 
L.,No, 282. 

Lossing's Pictorial Field-Book of Rev- 
olution. $3.50 per volume. Harpers. 

Botta's American Revolution. 2 v. Svo. 

Thatcher's Tales of Ameri. Revolution. 
H. D. L., No. 12. 



Trescott's Diplomacy of Revolution. 

1 vol. 12mo. 

Sullivan's Pub. Characters of Revolu. 
Marshall's Life of Washington. 2 

vols. 8vo. 
Paulding's Life of Washington. H. D. 

L., No. 1. 
Guizot's Essay on Life of Washington. 
Sparks' Life and Papers of Washington. 

1.3 vols. flS.OO. Harpers. 

Sabine's American Loyalists. 1 v. Svo. 
Dwight's Lives of the Signers. H. D. 

L., No. 91. 
Wirt's Life of Patrick Henry. 
Simms' Life of Marion. 
Judge Johnson's Life of Greene. 
Greene's Life of Greene. 
Simms' Life of Greene. 1 vol. 12mo. 
McKenzie's Paul Jones. H. D. L., 251, '2. 
Tudor's Life of Jas. Otis. 
Thomas Paine's Political Writings. 
Sparks' Life and Works of Franklin. 

10 vols. Svo. 
Life and Selections from Works of 

Franklin. H. D. L., Nos. 51, 52. 
Franklin's Works. 2 vols. Svo. 
Franklin's Life and Select Works. Ed. 

by E. Sargent. 1 vol. 12mo. 
Madison Papers. 3 vols. Svo. 
Hamilton Papers. 3 vols. 
Works of John Adams. 
Jefferson's Works. 4 vols. Svo. 
Jay's Life, &c. 2 vols. 
Benton's History of Working of U. S. 

Government for Thirty Years. 
Wood's History of Administration of 

John Adams. 
Davis' Life of Burr. 2 vols. $3.80. 
Burr's Trial. 
Satford's Life of Blennerhasset and 

Account of Burr's Expedition. 

Moore, Cincinnati. 
IngersoU's War of 1812. Svo. 
Armstrong's Notes on War of 1812. 

2 vols. 12mo. 

Dwight's History of Harttford Conven- 
tion. 1 vol. Svo. 

Pictorial Life of Jackson. 

McKenzie's Life of Com. Perry. 2 vols. 

Burgess' Battle of Lake Erie. 

Lecture on Battle of Lake Erie, by 
Dr. Parsons. 

Ripley's War with Mexico. 2 vols. Svo. 

Mansfield's Mexican War. 1 v. 12mo. 

Livermore's War with Mexico re- 
viewed. 1 vol. 12mo. 

Life of General Scott. 

Kendall's Santa Fe Expedition. 2 vols. 

The Other Side of the Mexican War. 
(From Mexi. Author.) 1 vol. 12mo. 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



23 



MISCELLANEOUS. 

De Tocqueville's Democracy in U. S. 
Chevalier's Letters on United States. 
Pitkin's Statistics. 
Tucker's Progress of United States. 
Robbin's Tales from American History. 

H. D. L., Nos. 9-11. 
Sparks' Amer. Biography. 1st Series. 

H. D. L., Nos. 70-79. 
Sparks' American Biography. 2nd 

Series. 15 vols. 
Life of John Randolph. 2 vols. 
Speeches of Daniel Webster. 
Williston's Amer. Eloquence 5 v. Svo. 
Calhoun's Works. 
Calhoun's Speeches. 
Baird's Religion in America, 62 cts. 
Reed & Matheson's Visit to American 

Churches. 2 vols. $1.12. Harpers. 
Knapp's Lectures on Ameri. Literature. 
Brissot's Travels in the United States. 
Lewis and Clark's Travels. 2 vols. 

H. D. L., Nos. 198, 199. 
Fremont's Expedition. 
Emory's Expedition. 
Gregg's Com.Tierce of the Prairies. 2 v. 
Farnham's Life in Prairie Land. H. 

D. L., No. 257. 
Latrobe's Rambles in N. A. 2 vols. 
Dickens' Ameri. Notes. 12 cts. Har. 
Mrs. TroUope. 

Buckingham's Travels. 2 vols. S3.50. 
Cooper's Notions of the Americans. 
Lyell's Visit to the U. S. Harpers. 

Sir F. B. Head's Emigrant. 75 cts. 
Fidler's Travels. 60 cts. Harpers. 

NEW ENGLAND. 

Church's Indian Wars. 
Drake's Book of the Indians. 
Young's Chronicles of Plymouth. 
Young's Chronicles of Massachusetts. 
Upham's History of Witchcraft. 
Barber's Historical Collections of Mass. 
Barber's Historical Collections of Conn. 
Barber's Hist. Collections of N. England. 
Trumbull's History of Connecticut. 
Connecticut Records, by Jas. H. 

Trumbull. 
Uncle Philip's Mass. H.D. L., 131 , '2. 
Uncle Philip's N. H. H. D. L., 133, '4. 
Dwight's Connecticut. H. D. L., 139. 
Stowe's Mayflower. H. D. L., 197, 
HoUister's Mt. Hope, r2mo, 75 cts, 
Dwight's Travels in New England and 

New York, 4 vols. Svo, 
History of Shay's Rebellion, 
Gov. Winthrop'a Journal. Savage's 

new edition, 2 vols. Svo, 
Morton's N, England Memorial, 1 vol. 
Hutchinson's Massachusetts Bay. 



Baylie's Hist, of Plymouth. 2 vols, Svo. 
Upham's History of Salem Witchcraft. 
Hall's Puritans. Defense. 
Colt's Puritanism. 1 v. 12mo. Against. 

RHODE ISLAND. 

Collections of R. I, Historical Society, 

1. Roger Williams' Key to Indian 

Languages, 

2. Gorton's Simplicity's Defence. 

3. Potter's Early History of Nar- 

ragansett. 

4. Callender's Century Sermon. 

5. Staples' Annals of Providence. 
Updike's History of the R. I. Bar. 
Updike's History of the Narragansett 

Church. 
Staples' First Code of Laws of R. I. 
Gammell's Roger Williams. 
Knowles' Roger Williams. 
Elton's Roger Williams. 
Eastburn's Yamoyden. 
Mackie's Life of Gorton. 
Cowell's Spirit of '76 in R. I. 
Judge Johnson's Life of Greene. 
Greene's Life of Greene. 
Simms' Life of Greene, 
Mrs. Williams' Barton and Olney. 
Staples' Gaspee Documents. 
Life of Com. O. H. Perry. 
Burgess' Battle of Lake Erie. 
Life of Samuel Ward, by GammeU. 
Life of Ezra Stiles. 
Bowen's Life of Burgess. 
Pitman's Historical Discourse. 
Judge Durfee's Works. 
Maxcy's Works. 
Miss Lynch's R. I. Book. 
E R. Potter's History of Paper Money 

in Rhode Island. 
E. R, Potter's Historical Discourse. 
Tustin's History of Warren. 
R. G. Hazard's Historical Discourse. 
Hazard's Report on the Poor and 

Insane of Rhode Island. 
Hague's Historical Discourse, 
Hall's Historical Discourse. 
Styles' History of the Judges of King 

Charles I. 
Peterson's History. 
Memoir of Robert Wheaton. 
Brooks' History of Old Stone Mill. 
Transactions of R. I. Agricul. Society. 
Greene's Historical Discourse. 
Gammell's Historical Discourse. 
Durfee's Historical Discourse. 
Jackson's History of the Baptist 

Churches. 

OTHER STATES. 

Renwick's De Witt Clinton. 45 cts. 



2i 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



Hammond's Political History of New 

York. 2 vols. Second edition. 
Dunlop's New York. H. D. L., 49, 50. 
Barber's Hist. Collections. New York. 

" " " Michigan. 

" " " Wisconsin. 

Jefferson's Notes on Virginia, 
Foote's Texas and Texans. 
Pennsylvania Historical Collections. 
Uncle Philip's Virginia. H. D. L., 43. 
Stevens' History of Georgia. 
Gayarre's Louisiana. 8vo. $2 00. 
Marquette's Valley of Mississippi. 
Banner's History of Louisiana. H. D. 

L., No. 180. 
Historical Collections of Ohio. 
Historical Collections of Kentucky. 
Lanman's Michigan. H. D. L., 159. 
Lapham's Wisconsin. 
Greenhow's Oregon and California. 
Fremont's Expedition. 
Emory's Expedition. 



Irving's Adventures in Far West. 2 v. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Lieber's Great Events. Mass. Lib. 
Malkin's Historical Parallels. 2 vols. 
Creasy's Fifteen Famous Battles. $1.00. 
Carlyle's Heroes in History. 
Mrs. Jameson's Female Sovereigns. 

H D. L., Nos. 41, 42. 
Mrs. Child's History of Women. 2 v. 
Goodrich's Manners and Customs. 
Goodrich's World and its Inhabitants. 
Hone's Everlasting Calendar. 
" Year Book. 
" Every-Day Book. 
Table Book. 
Jardine's Criminal Trials. 
British State Trials. 
American State Trials. 
James' Dark Scenes of History. 12mo. 

$1.00. Harpers. 

Herbert's Captains of the Old World. 



POETRY AND DRAMA. 



GENERAL WORKS. 

Lowth on Hebrew Poetry. 

Herder's Hebrew Poetry. 

Coleridge on Study of Classic Poets. 

Hunt's Italian Poets. 

Montgomery's Lectures on Poetry. 1 
vol. H. D. L., No. 23. 

Hazlitt's Lectures on Eng. Poetry. 2 v, 

Tuckerman's Thoughts on the Poets. 
63 cts. C. ^ S. Francis. 

Richardson's Essays on Shakspeare. 
1 vol. 8vo. 

Hudson's Lectures on Shakspeare. 2 v. 

Mrs. Jameson's Characteristics of Wo- 
men of Shakspeare. 



Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. 3 vols. 

H, Class Lib., Nos. 32-34. 
Virgil's Eclogues, yEneid and Georgics. 

2 vols. H. Class. Lib., Nos. 11, 12. 
Peters' Poetry of the Ancients. 

EUROPEAN. 

Longfellow's Poets and Poetry of 

Europe. 
Hunt's Tasso. 
Carey's Dante. 
Bulwer's Schiller. 
Schiller's Historical Dramas. 
Lockhart's Spanish Ballads. 



ENGLISH. 

'Walsh's British Poets. 50 vols. 

Aiken's British Poets. 1 vol. 

Frost's Continuation of Aiken. 1 vol. 

Griswold's Poets of England of Nine- 
teenth Century. 1 vol. 

Halleck's Select British Poets. H. D. 
L., Nos 115, 116. 

Cleveland's Compendium of English 
Poets. 

Motherwell's Minstrelsy, Ancient and 
Modern. 2 vols. 16mo. $1.50. 

Percy's Reliques. 

Lamb's Specimens of Dram. Poets. 2 v. 

Shakspeare. 

Milton. 

Spenser. 

Chaucer. 

Pope. 

Thomson's Seasons. 

Young's Night Thoughts. 

Cowper. 

Montgomery. 

Goldsmith. 

Gray. 

Campbell. 

Rogers' Pleasures of Memory. 

Wordsworth. 

Coleridge, Shelley and Keats. 

Scott's Poetical Works. 

Byron. 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



25 



Burns' Life and Works. Chamber's 
edi. 4 vols. $3.00. Harpers. 

Moore's Lalla Rookh. 

Moore's Sacred Songs, &zc. 

Motherwell. 

Heber. 

Milnes. 1 vol. 75 cts. 

Book of English Songs. National II- 
iust. Library. 1 vol. r2mo. 

Bowring's iMatins and Vespers. 37 cts. 

Ossian. 

Falconer's Shipwreck. 

Croly's Poems. 

Tennyson. 

Aytoun's Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers. 

Macaulay's Lays of Ancient Rome. 

Sheridan's School for Scandal. 

Sheridan's Rivals. 

Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer. 

Talfourd's Ion. 

Talfourd's Athenian Captive. 



Bryant's Selections from Am. Poets. 1 v. 

H. D. L., No. 114. 
Bryant. 
Longlellow. 
Pierpont. 
Holmes. 
Barton. 
Sigourney. 
Hillhouse. 
Whittier's Songs of Labor and other 

Poems. 1 vol. 
Eastbiun's Yamoyden. 
Halleck. Redfield. 

Percival. 
AUston. 

Mrs. Whitman. 
Miss Lynch. 
Lowell. 
Willis. 
Morris. 



AMEEIC.IN. 



Common Place Book of Amer. 
Griswold's American Poetry. 



Poetry. 



Poetry for Home and School. 
Lays for the Sabbath. 
Taylor's Poems for Infant Minds. 
Watts' Divine Songs. 



FICTION. 



Arabian Nights Entertainment. 

Gil Bias. 

Don Quixote. 

Robinson Crusoe. 

Vicar of Wakefield. H. D. L., 225. 

Johnson's Rasselas. 

The Coverly Papers. (From Spectator. ) 

McKenzie's Man of Feeling, &c. SI. 00. 

Maturin's Melmoth the Wanderer. 

Gulliver's Travels. 

Godwin's Caleb Williams. Harpers. 

Hope's Anastasius. 

Mrs. Edgeworth's Novels and Tales. 

Mrs. Opie's Works. 3 vols. 

Mysteries of L^dolpho. 

Romance of the Forest. 

Scottish Chiefs, by Miss Porter. 

Thaddeus of Warsaw, by Miss Porter. 

Cyril Thornton. 

Ward's De Vere. 

Ward's Tremaine. 

D'Israeli's Vivian Grey. 

D'Israeli's Young Duke. 

Bulwer's Pilgrims of the Rhine. 

Bulwer's My Novel. 

Bulwer's Caxtons. 

Eugene Aram. 

The Disowned. 

Picciola, or Prisoner of Fenestrclla. 

Pickwick, by Dickens. 

Exiles of Siberia. 

Paul and Virginia. 



35. 



Little Pedlington. 

Warren's Diary of a Physician. 

Warren's Merchant's Clerk. 

Undine and Sintram. Putnam. 

My Early Days. 

Thackeray's Vanity Fair. 

Miss Bremer's Novels. Harpers. 

Wilson's Lights and Shadows. 

Miss Mitford's Our Village. 

Miss Mcintosh's To Seem and To Be. 

Zschokke's Tales. 2 vols. 

Kingsley's Yeast. 

Kingsley's Alton Locke, Tailor, Shoe- 
maker and Poet. 

Kingsley's Hypatia. 

Goethe's Wilhelm Meister. 

Moore's Zeluco. 

Walpole's Castle of Otranto. 

Landor's Imaginary Conversations. 

Littleton's Dialogues of the Dead. 

De Quincey's Opium Eater. 

Longfellow's Hyperion. 

Longfellow's Kavanagh. 

AUston's Monaldi. 

Cooper's Novels. 

Reveries of a Bachelor. 

Dream Life. 

Miss Child's Philothea. 75 cts. 

Mrs. Stowe's Mayflower. H. D. L., 
No. 197. 

Mrs. Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. 

The Wide Wide World. 



26 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



Queechy. 

Romance of Student Life Abroad. 

Jack Downing. 

Haliburton's Sam Slick. 

Haliburton's Yankee Stories. 

Kennedy's Swallow Barn. 

Irving's Works. 

Andersen's Improvisatore. Trans, by 

Mary Howitt. 
Miss Austen's Sense and Sensibility. 
Mrs. Sedgwick's Hope Jieslie, &;c. 
John Bull in America. 



Illuitrating Portions of History, ^c. 

Salathiel, by Rev. George Croly. 
Sephora, a Hebrew Tale. 
Zilla, a Tale of the Holy City. 
Martineau's Traditions of Palestine. 
Jjockhart's Valerius. Harpers. 

Ware's Probus, or Letters from Rome. 
Ware's Zenobia, or Let. from Palmyra. 
Bulwer's Last Days of PomiJeii. 
Fenelon's Telemachus. 
Moore's Epicurean. 

Antonina, or the Fall of Rome. Har. 
lo, a Tale of the Olden Fane. 
Becker's Gallus, or Roman Scenes in 

the Age of Augustus. 
Becker's Charicles, or Illustrations of 

the Private Life of the Anci. Greeks. 
Marmontel's Belisarius. 
Florian's Numa Pompilius. 
Seven Champions of Christendom. 

1 vol. l^imo. Putnam. 

Scott's Historical Novels. 
Bulwer's Rienzi. 



Bulwer's Harold. 
Bulwer's Last of the Barons. 
Thackeray's Henry Esmond. 
James' Attila. 

" Robbers. 

" Philip Augustus. 

" Richelieu. 

" Mary of Burgundy. 

" Agincourt. 

" Henry of Guise. 

" Jacquerie. 

" Huguenots. 
Chateaubriand. 

De Vigny's Cinq-Mars. Tr. by Hazlitt. 
Dumas' Three Guardsmen. 



TALES, &C. 

Mrs. Sherwood's Lady of the Manor. 

4 vols. $3.50. Harpers. 

Mrs. Williams' Religion at Home. 
Wealth and Worth. H. D. L., 208. 
Mcintosh's Conquest and Self-Conq'st. 

H. D. L., No. 200. 
Mcintosh's Woman an Enigma. H. 

D. L , No. 221. 
Mcintosh's Praise and Principle. H, 

D. L., No. 274. 
Mcintosh's Cousins. H. D L., 279. 
Mrs. Hofland's Young Crusoe. H. D. 

L., No. 210. 
Mrs. Ellis' Temper and Temperament. 

H. D. L., No. 272. 
Isabel, or Trials of the Heart. H. D. 

L., No. 2S1. 
Keeping House and House Keeping. 

H. D. L., No. 293. 



COLLECTANEA. 



Library of Entertaining Knowl. 43 v. 

Penny Magazine. 9 vols. 

Penny Cyclopedia. 

British Essayists. Chambers' edition. 

Chambers' Miscellany. 20 vols. 

Chambers' Information for People. 2 v. 

Chambers' Pocket Miscellany. 

Chambers' Papers for People. 

Edinburgh Review. 

London Quarterly Review. 

Westminster Review. 

North British Review. 

British Quarterly Review. 

North American Review. 

Southern Quarterly Review. 



American Quarterly Review. 

Cross' Selections from Edinburgh Re- 
view. 6 vols. Svo. 

Cross' Selections from Quarterly Re- 
view. 6 vols. 8vo. 

Harpers' District School Lib. 295 vols. 

Harpers' Classical Library. Harpers. 

Appleton's Common School Library. 
50 vols. 20 cents per vol. 

Massachusetts School Library. 26 v. 

Conversations Lexicon. 14 vols. Svo. 

Wiley & Putnam's Library of Choice 
Reading. 

Redfield's Common School Library. 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



27 



HISTORY OF LITERATURE, &c. 



Schlegel's History of Literature. 

Montgomery's Lectures on General Lit- 
erature, Poetry, &c. H. D. L.,23. 

D'Israeli's Curiosities of Literature. 

D'Israeli's iMiscellanies of Literature. 

D'Israeli's Amenities of Literature. 2 
vols. $1..50. Harpers. 

Hallam's Literature of Europe. Har. 

Sismondi's Literature of South of Eu- 
rope. Bohn fy Harpers 

Berington's Literary History of Middle 
Ages. 

Browne's Greek Literature. 

Browne's Roman Literature. 

Dunlop's Roman Literature. 

Dunlop's History of Fiction. 

Peters' Poetry of Ancients. 

Ticlinor's Spanish Litera. 3 vols. 8vo. 

Vericour's Modern French Literature. 

Menzel's German Literature. 3 vols. 

Tuclcerman's Characteristics of Lit- 
erature. 

De Quincey's Works. Ticknor. 

Longfellow's Poetry of Europe, 



Chambers' Cyclopedia of English Lit- 
erature. $.5.00. Gould Sr lAncoln. 

Knox's Elegant Extracts. t5 vols. 8vo. 

Library of English Literature. 2 vol?. 
Svo. E. H. Butler, Philad. 

Home's Authors of England, or New 
Spirit of the Age. H. D. L., 294. 

Sliaw's Eng. Literature. 1 vol. 12nio. 

Spalding's Eng. Literature. 1 v. r2mo. 

Knapp's Lectures on American Litera- 
ture. 1 vol. Svo. 

Griswold's American Prose Writers. 

Cheever's Commonplace-Book of Amer- 
ican Prose. 

Cheever's Commonplace-Book of Amer- 
ican Poetry. 

Drake's Essays on the Spectator. 

Drake's Literary Hours. 

Drake's Shakspeare and his times. 

Drake's Memorials of Shakspeare. 

Wright's Essays on the Literature, Su- 
perstitions and History of England 
in the Middle Ages. 2 vols. Svo. 



COLLECTED WORKS OF AUTHORS. 



Works of Lord Bacon. 3 vols. Svo. 
Works of John Locke. 9 vols. 
Works of Addison. 3 vols. Svo. 

$4.50. (Includes Spectator.) Har. 
Works of Addison. 5 vols. Ed. by 

G. W. Greene. Putnam. 

Works of Dr. Johnson. 2 v. Svo. 

$3.00. Harpers. 

Works of Burke. 3 vols. Svo. $4.50. 
Milton's Prose Works. 3 vols. Bohn. 
Milton's Select Prose Works. 2 vols. 

12ino. Young's Edition. 
Page's Select'ns fioni Johnson's Works. 

2 vols. ISiuo. 90 cts. Harpers. 

Drydeu's Works. 2 vol. Svo. $3.00. 
Works of Robert Hall. 
Works of Dr. Clialmers. 
Works of Dr. Paley. 
Essays of Macaulay. 
Essays of JeliVey. 
Essays of Cariyle. 
Essays of Wilson. 
Essays of Mcintosh. 
Essays of Sydney Smith. 



Essays of Alison. 

Essays of Talfourd. 

Essays of Stephens. 

Brougham's Speeches. 

Prose Works of Sir Walter Scott. 7 v. 

Miscellaneous Works of Dr. Arnold. 

1 vol. Svo. 
Works of Mrs. Ellis. 
Works of Mrs. Edgeworth. 10 vols. 

$7..50. Harpers. 

Works of Mrs. Sherwood. 16 vols. 

85 cts. per vol. Harpers. 

Works of Mrs. Barbauld. 
Works of Washington Irving. 
Works of Daniel Webster. 
Works of J. F. Cooper. 
Works of Ed. Everett. 
Works of A. H. Everett. 
Works of Jas. A. Hillhouse. 
Works of Dr. Jonathan Maxcy. 
Humphrey's Discourses and Reviews. 
C. Sumner's Miscellanies. 
Story's Miscellaneous Works. 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



FESTIVALS, GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS. 



Bohn's Hand-Book of Games. 

Strutt's Sports and Pastimes of England. 

Field Sports in United States and Brit- 
ish America, by Frank Forester. 

Walton's Complete Angler. 

Blaine's Cyclopedia of Rural Sports. 

Smith's Festivals, Games, &c. H. D. 
L., No. 277. 



Timbs' Antiquities, Pastimes and Vari- 
ous Customs of Nations. 
Walker's Manly Exercises. 
Walker's Defensive Exercises. 
Martin's Book of Sports. 
Chess Player's Hand-Book. 
Cricketer's Guide. 



MAXIMS, APOTHEGMS, &c. 



Rochefoucault's Maxims. Gotvan. 

Lacon. 2 vols. 1 vol. 63 cts. 

Tupper's Proverbial Philosophy. 

Bacon's Essays. 

Laconics. 3 vols. Munroe Sf Francis. 

Fielding's Proverbs. 

Boyle's Reflections. 



Elmes' HorEE Vacivae, a thought book. 

Moral Mirror. 

Beauties of Shakespeare. 

Beauties of Burke. 

Beauties of Sterne. 

Trench on Proverbs. 



JUVENILE. 



Sanford and Merton. H. D. L., 218. 
Son of a Genius. '• 8. 

Edgeworth's Moral Tales. " 244, '5. 
Edgeworth's Rosamond. " 243. 
Miss Sedgw.ck's Poor Rich Man, &:c. 

H. D. L., No. 3. 
Miss Sedgwick's Live and Let Live. 

H. D. L., No. 28. 
Miss Sedgwick's Means and Ends. 

D. L., No. 212. 
Miss Sedgwick's Love Token. H 

L., No. 215. 
Swiss Family Robinson. 2 vols. 

D. L., Nos. 4, 5. 
Mrs. Hughe's Ornaments Discovered. 

H. D. L., No. 44. 
What's to be done. H. D. L., 202. 

The Twin Brothers. H. D. L., 223. 
Howitt's Who shall be Greatest. H. 

D. L., No. 235. 
Kate's Year with the Franklins. H. 

D. L., No. 276. 
Blake's Juvenile Companion. H. D. 

L., No. 2S3. 
Parental Instruction. H. 
Dana's Young Sailor. 
Alden's Elizabeth Benton. 
Book of Commerce. 
Boy's Own Book Extended 
Philosophy in Sport. 



D. L., 284. 

287. 

" 2SS. 

Francis. 



Abbott's Franconia Stories. 40 c. each. 

Abbott's Jonas' Books. 

Jane Taylor's Poems for Infant Minds. 

Barbauld's Evenings at Home. 

Conversations on Common Things. 

Adams' Shadow of the Cross. 

Adams' Distant Hills. 

Adams' Old Man's Home. 

Adams' King's Messengers. 

Monroe's Dark River. 

Monroe's Combatants. 

Monroe's Revellers. 

Howitt's Tales from Natural History. 

Howitt's Tales in Prose, Harpers. 

Howitt's Tales in Poetry. Harpers. 

Young Americans Abroad. (Clioules.) 

Edgeworth's Popular Tales. 5 vols. 

Edgeworth's Works. 10 vols. $7.50. 

Rollo Books. 14 V. $5.25. Francis. 

Lucy Books. 6 vols. S2.25. Francis. 

Select Volumes. American Sunday 
School Union. 

Select Volumes. Protestant Episcopal 
Sunday School Union. 

Select Volumes. Massachusetts Sun- 
day School Union. 

Select Volumes. American Tract Soc. 

Parley's Cabinet Library. 

Library of Entertaining and Useful 
Reading. 12 vols. !g;6.00. Francis. 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



29 



Library of Instructive Amusement. 6 
vols. ISmo. ^3.00. Francis. 

Boy's and Girl's Library. 12 v. ^5.00. 
Little Library. If) vols. !^'5.50. 
Parley's Magazine. 12 vols. $9.00. 
Stretch's Beauties of History. 1 vol. 
Works of Charlotte Elizabeth. 
Sargent's Temperance Tales. 2 vols. 
Richmond's Annals of the Poor, 
Hannah Moore's Works, 

Sunday- School Society's Village and 
Family Library, viz. : 

1 . Dick's Solar System. 

2. Starry Heavens. 

3. Sketches of Waldenses. 

4. Life of Luther. 

5. Kitto's Ancient Jerusalem. 

6. Life of Cyrus. 

7. Man in his Relations. 

8. Dawn of Modern Civilization. 

9. Life of Mohammed. 

10. French Revolution. 

11. Caves of the Earth. 

12. Life of Lady Russell. 

13. Eminent Medical Men. 

14. Life of Martin Boos. 

15. Structure of Animals. 

16 (5c 17. Protestantism in France. 

18. Magic, Pretended Miracles, &:c. 

19. Life of Cranmer. 

20. Schools of Ancient Philosophy. 

21. Our English Bible. 

22. Origin and Progress of Language. 

23. The Tartar Tribes. 

appleton's common school library. 

First Series. 
The Life and Adventures of Henry 

Hudson. By the Author of " Uncle 

Philip's Conversations." 
The Adventures of Hernan Cortes, the 

Conqueror of Mexico. By the same. 
The Life of Capt. John Smith. By 

the same. 
The Dawnings of Genius; or, Early 

Lives of Eminent Men. By Anne 

Pratt. 
The Mythology of Greece and Italy, 

adapted for children. By Thomas 

Keightly. 
The Poplar Grove; or, Little Harry 

and his Uncle Benjamin. By Mrs. 

Copley. 
Early Friendships. By Mrs. Copley. 
The Peasant and the Prince ; a tale il- 
lustrative of the French Revolution. 

By Harriet Martineau. 
Masterman Ready ; or, the Wreck of 

the Pacific. Written for Young 

People. By Capt. Marryatt. Three 

Volumes. 



The Looking-Glass for the Mind; or. 
Intellectual Mirror. An elegant col- 
lection of delightful stories and tales. 
Many plates. 

The Twin Sisters, a tale. By Mrs. 
Sandham. 

First Impressions; or, hints to those 
who would make home happy. By 
Mrs. Ellis. 

The Dangers of Dining Out; or, hints 
to those who would make home hap- 
py. To which is added the Confes- 
sions of a Maniac. By Mrs. Ellis. 

Somerville Hall ; or, hints to those who 
would make home happy. To which 
is added the Rising Tide. By Mrs. 
Ellis. 

Little Coin, Much Care ; or. How Poor 
People Live. By Mary Howitt. 

Work and Wages ; or. How Poor Peo- 
ple Live. By Mary Howitt. 

Hope On, Hope Ever ; or, the Boyhood 
of Felix Law. By Mary Howitt. 

Strive and Thrive, a tale. By Mary 
Howitt. 

Sowing and Reaping; or. What will 
Come of It ? By Mary Howitt. 

Alice Franklin, a sequel to Sowing and 
Reaping. By Mary Howitt. 

Who shall be Greatest? a tale. By 
Mary Howitt. 

Which is the Wiser .' or. People Abroad. 
By Mary Howitt. 

Tired of 'Housekeeping. By T. S. 
Arthur. 



Second Series. 



By 



The Life of Oliver Cromwell. 

Robert Southey, LL. D. 
History of tlie French Revolution, its 

Causes and Consequences. By F. 

Maclean Rowan. 2 vols. 
The Adventures of Daniel Boone, the 

Kentucky Rifleman. By the author 

of "Uncle Philip's Conversations." 
The Young Student ; or, Ralph and 

Victor. By Madame Guizot. In 3 

vols. One of the best moral and 

instructive works ever written. 
Love and Money, an Every-Day Tale. 

By Mary Howitt. 
The Minister's Family; or. Hints to 

make Home happy. By Mrs. Ellis. 
Philip Randolph, a tale of Virginia. 

By Mary Gertrude. 
Woman's Worth ; or, Hints to raise the 

Female Character. A very valuable 

work, suitable for all classes. 
The Settlers in Canada, written for 

Youth. By Capt. Marryatt. 2 vols. 
My Uncle the Clockmaker, a tale. By 

Mary Howitt. 



30 



BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES. 



The Girls' Manual; containing the 

Principles of Conduct. 
The Boys' Manual ; containing the 

Principles of Conduct. 
The Farmer's Daughter, a Picture of 

Humble Life. By Mrs. Cameron. 



The Young Man from Home, in a 
Series of Letters on Dangers and 
Duties. By J. A. James. 

Familiar Letters on Chemistry, and its 
application to Physiology, Commerce 
and Agriculture. By Prof. Liebig. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Arvine's Cyclopedia of Anecdotes. 

Arvine's Cyclopedia of Moral and Re- 
ligious Anecdotes. 

Percy Anecdotes. $1.50. Harpers. 

Joe Miller. (Jest Book.) Bohn. 

Book of Anecdotes. Belknap fy Ham. 

./Esop's Fables. 

Buzzy's Fables. 1 vol. Svo. 

Flowers of Fable. H. D. L., 271. 

Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy. 

Lady Mary Wortley Montague's Letters. 

Wirt's British Spy. 60 cts. Harpers, 

Wirt's Old Bachelor. 

Tuckerman's Optimist. 

Tuckerman's Characteristics of Litera. 

R. H. Dana's Idle Man. 

Carlyle's Sartor Resartus. 

Letters of Junius. 

Knox's Essays. 

Spectator. 2 vols. Svo, 

Spectator. 6 vols. Svo. 

Chesterfield's Works. 1 v. Svo. $1,50. 

Butler's Reminiscences. 1 vol. 12rao. 

Hazlitt's Montaigne. __ 

Hood's Miscellanies. 

Salmagundi, 4 vols. Harpers. 

Bulwer's Ambitious Student. Harpers. 

Timbs' Knowledge for the People. 3 v. 

Lamb's Works. 

Lamb's Essays of Elia. 2 vols. 12mo. 
$2.00. Harpers. 

Hazlitt's Table Talk. 

James Smith's Miscella. 2 vol. 12mo. 

Men of the Time. 1851. Redjield. 

Mrs. Ellis' Daughters of England. 1 
vol. 12mo. 50 cts. Appletons. 

Mrs. Ellis' Women of England. 1 
vol. 12nio. 50 cts. Appletons, 



Harpers. 
Appletons, 



Mrs. Ellis' Wives of England, 1 vol. 
12mo. 50 cts. Appletons. 

Mrs. Ellis' Mothers of England. 1 
vol. 12mo. 50 cts. Appletons. 

Mrs. Ellis' Dangers of Dining Out ; or, 
Hints to make Home hapjjy. 1 vol. 
ISmo. 37 cts. Appletons. 

Knox's Elegant Extracts. 6 vols. Svo. 

Library of English Literature. 2 vols. 
Svo. (Same as foregoing.) 

Book of the Army. Belknap 8/- Ham. 

Book of the Navy. Belknap ^ Ham. 

Book of the Colonies. Belknap fy Ham. 

Book of the Indians. Belknap ^ Ham. 

Book of the Good Examples. 

Book of the Illustrious Mechanics. 

Hunt's Autobiography, &c. 

Greenwood's Miscellaneous Works. 

Bradley's Patronomatology. 

Coleridge's Table Talk. 70 cts. Har. 

Coleridge's Letters and Conversations. 

Coleridge's Friend. Harpers. 

Coleridge's Biographia Literaria. 

Dickens' Household Words. 

Walker's Selection of Curious Articles 
from Gent's Magazine. 4 v. Svo. 

Miss Mitford's Recollections of her Lit- 
erary Life. 

McConnell's Sketches of Western Char- 
acters. Redfield. 

Bowriny's Minor Morals. 1 vol. 12mo. 

Todd's Lectures to Young Children. 

Bayard Taylor's Views Afoot, &c. 

Spectacles, their Uses and Abuses, by 
Sickel. Phillips, Sampson fy Co, 

Byrne's Lectures to Citizen Soldiers on 
the Art and Science of War. 

Donohue, Boston. 

Jomini's Art of War. Putnam. 



REPORT 



UPON 



PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION 



IN RHODE ISLAND. 



OCTOBER, A. D. 1854. 



BY 

E. R. POTTER, 

COMMISSIONEK OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 



PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE LEGISLATURE. 



PROVIDENCE: 

KNOWLES, ANTHONY & CO. STATE PRINTERS. 
1855. 



TABLE or CONTENTS. 



REPORT ■ 5 

Expenditures for Normal School G 

Board of Education 7,51 

Division of the new Appropriation of $15.000 8 

The Bible and Prayer in Public Schools 9, 52, 109 

APPENDIX. 

No. 1 — Statistical Tables 33 

No. 2 — Acts &c. relating to Schools, &c. passed since June 1851.. .36 
No. 3 — Documents relating to the establishment of Normal 
School. Commmissioners letter to the Governor. Act establishing 
School. Address of E. R. Potter at opening of School. Circulars. Copy 

of lease of Normal School rooms 42 

No. 4 — Bill to establish a Board of Education 7, 51 

No. 5 — Religious Instruction in Public Schools 52 

Extracts from various writers showing how the difSculties growing out of 
this question are obviated in other countries. Prussia and Germany 52 
Saxony 63 — Wirtemburg 65 — Austria C5 — Switzerland 6 7 — France 70 
Extract from Nicoll 71 — Victor Hugo's Speech 73 — Belgium 75 — Hol- 
land 76 — Scotland 78, 95 — Ireland 82 — Oppression in Ireland 91 — 
England 93 — Canada, from Dr. Ryerson's Report 95 — Massachusetts 107. 
Opinions op writers upon the subject of the Bible and Re- 
ligion IN Schools 109 

Prefatory Remarks by the Commissioner 109 

Statement of the Question .... fHarpers'J 110 

Extracts from Dr. Cheever on the Bible in School 114 — Address of 
Thomas S. Grimke 123 — Rosseau on the Bible 145 — Extract from Sav- 
age's Speech in N. Y. Legislature 146 — President MCafFrey's Lecture 
147 — Rev. H. Humphrey's Lecture 150 — Extract from E. R. Potter's 



' TABLE OF C0NTP:NTS. 

Report for 1852 on Importance of moral education and its influence in 
preventing crime 151 — Address of Thomas II. Burro wes 1C4 — Report 
of Dr. Van Rensellaer of the Presbyterian Board of Education 166 — 
E. Schreider's Essay 170 — Speech of Rev. Dr. Bond (MethodistJ 171 — 
Westminster Review 1 72 — Address of H. Ketclium (Presbyterian) 1 73 
Richard Gardner (English^ 173 — John Mills 174 — Walter Fergerson 
1/5— Rev. \Y. McKerrow 176— Rev. S. Davidson 176— Rev. F. Tucker 
177— Rev. Edward Higginson 178— Mrs. Porter 178— Dr. Bushnell, of 
Hartford on the modifications demanded by Catholics 179 — Extracts 
from New Englander (Congregational Quarterly Review) 184 — Dr. 
Channing 196 — Dr. Siljestrora, a Sweedish traveller 196 — Dr. Chalmers 
(Scotch Presbyterian) 197— Letter from R. CobdenM. P. to R. Church 
,198— W. C. Taylor 199— Dr. Robert Vaughan 199— J. P. NicoU's pref- 
ace to Wilm's treatise 1 9 9 — Wilm on the education of the people (French 
treatise) 203 — Opinion of Rev. Dr. Hook, Vicar of Leeds 204 — West- 
minster Review 205 — Twelfth Report of Horace Mann, of Massachusetts 
205 — Decision on the use of school houses for other purposes than schools 
233 — Decision of Gen. John A. Dix, Supt. of New York Schools, on 
same subject 235 — Extracts from Milton's " Areopagitica ; a Speech for 
the liberty of unlicensed printing" 236 — Exti'act from Milton on eccle- 
siastical power in civil causes 246. 



State of Hl)ok'-lslaiiir antr proolkncc IpiantaticuG. 

REPORT 

OF 

COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS 



To the Honorable General Assembly : — 

October Session, A. D. 1854, 
The subscriber respectfully presents the abstracts of the re- 
turns of the Public Schools made in May last. 

Since the last report the following sums have been drawn 
from the General Treasury for the support of the Deaf and 
Dumb, viz : April S, 1854, $200, and October 10, 1854, $200. 
Both payments were to the Hartford Institution. And one 
order of $100, dated June ]7, 1854, has been drawn in favor 
of Dr. Brown, of Barre, for the support of idiotic and feeble 
minded youth — in all .^500. 

In drawing the money from the public treasury for the Deaf 
and Dumb, Normal School, &c., which the law made sub- 
ject to my order, I have adopted the plan of never drawing 
the money until actually needed, and then making the order 
in favor of the person who was to receive the money. In this 
way the money did not come into the hands of the Commis- 
sioner at all, and he could not be liable to charges of using the 
money for private purposes, or to favor any friend or bank 
with which he might be connected. 

The only exception I have made from this rule has been in 
relation to the Teachers Institute money. In this case the 
amount was small, and a great deal of it paid out in small 
sums, and I have pursued the mode dictated by convenience. 



6 

NORMAL SCHOOL. 

The orders on the Treasury for the support of the Normal 
School have been — 

Ray Spink for seats, furniture, &c., 
Ray Spink balance of bill, 
George H. Whitney for books, &c., 
One quarter's rent, _ „ _ 
Rev. T. D. Cook, paid for furniture, 

D. P. Colburn, principal, quarter salary, 
Arthur Sumner, assistant, " " 

E. R. Potter, for expenses paid out, 
Knowles & Anthony, for printing, adver- 
tising, &c., _ - - _ 

D. P. Colburn, two months salary, 
A. Sumner, " " " 

D. P. Colburn, for money paid out, 
One quarter's rent, _ _ _ . 
Elisha S. Winsor, bill, _ - - 
George H. Whitney, bill, 

E. R. Potter, for money paid out, &c., 
D. P. Colburn, - - - - ' 
A. Sumner, 

$1,762 81 

As soon as the act was passed establishing a State Normal 
School for the training of teachers, the Commissioner proceed- 
ed immediately to carry it into effect. Dana P. Colburn, for- 
merly of the Bridgewater Normal School, was appointed Prin- 
cipal, at a salary of $1200, and Arthur Sumner, from the 
Lancaster Normal School, Assistant, at a salary of $750. 
Large and convenient rooms were hired in the building of the 
Second Universalist Society in Broad street. Providence, upon 
a lease, a copy of which is herewith submitted. The school 
was opened on the 29th day of May, 1854, in presence of his 
Excellency Gov. Hoppin, Avho delivered an address upon the 
occasion. The Commissioner of Public Schools also delivered 
an address. 

The teachers are men well known and of high reputation, 
and there can be no doubt but that the school will flourish un- 
der their care. 

An arrangement has just been completed, by which Professor 
Greene, late Professor of Didactics in Brown University, and 



1854 


, 


June 


10. 


July. 




June 


24. 


July 


15. 


u 


29. 


a 


29. 


a 


29. 


a 


31. 


Sept. 


16. 


Sept. 


30. 


u 


30. 


(( 


30. 


Oct. 


6. 


ii 


30. 


li 


30. 


(C 


30. 


ii 


30. 


li 


30. 



$150 


00 


113 


76 


82 


85 


187 


50 


15 


00 


300 


00 


187 


25 


31 


63 


22 


00 


200 


00 


125 


00 


21 


00 


187 


50 


5 


19 


20 


50 


13 


63 


50 


00 


50 


00 



7 



now Superintendent of the city schools of Providence, with 
the assent of the City Council School Committee, will devote 
a portion of his time to instruction in the school. All who 
know Professor Greene will consider this a most valuable ac- 
quisition. 



BOARD OF EDUCATION. 

The want of some plan for concentrating the efforts and 
exertions of those who would be disposed to take an active 
part in promoting the cause of education, has long been felt. 
It is respectfully suggested that this result might be obtained 
by establishing a Board of Education, to consist of the princi- 
pal State officers, and other zealous friends of our public 
school system, to be appointed by the Governor. Such a 
Board would be capable of exerting a great influence. If they 
served without compensation, no one would desire the office 
except from motives for the public good. It is believed there 
are many individuals who would be glad to devote a portion 
of their time to the public service in this way, and with no 
other reward than the consciousness of doing all in their power 
to promote a good cause. 

I herewith submit a bill for this purpose. 



THE NEW APPROPRIATION. 

The appropriation made by the act of January last, has been apportioned 
to the ssveral towns as follows : — 

Towns. Districts. 

Providence, 22 

North Providence, 10 

Smithfield, 35 

Cumberland, 20 

Scituate, 18 

Cranston, 11 

Johnston, 13 

Glocester, 15 

Foster, 19 

Burrillville, 16 
Newport, 5 

Portsmouth, 7 

' Middle town, 5 

Tiverton, 1 7 

Little Compton, 10 
New Shoreham, 5 

Jamestown, 2 

South Kingstown, 21 

Westerly, 12 

North Kingstown, 15 

Exetei', 12 
Charlestown, 7 

Hopkinton, 12 

Richmond, 1 3 

Warwick, 15 

Coventry, 18 
East Greenwich, 5 

West Greenwich, 12 
Bristol, 4 

Warren, 3 

Barrington, 3 



Beinsi S39 2G to a district. 



Amount. 


$863 


72 


392 


60 


1,374 


10 


785 


20 


706 


68 


431 


86 


510 


38 


588 


90 


745 


94 


628 


16 


196 


30 


274 


82 


196 


30 


667 


42 


392 


GO 


196 


30 


78 


52 


824 


46 


471 


12 


588 


90 


471 


12 


274 


82 


471 


12 


510 


38 


588 


90 


706 


68 


196 


30 


471 


12 


157 


04 


117 


78 


117 


78 



382 $14,997 32 



NOTE. 

SmiHiJield. — The districts are numbered to 3G, but there is no number 30. 

Glorcster — 15 districts. — The 3d, 4tli and 5th at Chci)ixchet, are united,for secondary 
school, butnotconsoli(hitcd. No. 14 is a joint district with part of Foster. 

North Kingstown — 15 districts. — Nos. 3 and 4 united. 

Exeter. — The districts are numbered to 13, but there is no number 3 ; part of No. 
1 is joined to the whole of No. 12, Hopkinton; parts of 3 and 4 are joined to No. 13, 
Richmond. 

CharJestown — 7 districts. — A part of No. 5 malces a joint district at Carolina Mills. 

Birhmond — 13 districts.^No. 4 joined with No. 17, South Kin^'stown; No. 13 join- 
ed with parts of 3 and 4, Exeter; Joint districts also at Carolina Mills and Brand's 
Iron "Works. 

Hopkinton— 12 districts.— No. 12 joined with part of No. 1, Exeter. A joint dis- 
trict also at Brand's Iron Works. 

Cumherland—20 districts— Nos. 1, 2, 19, and 20, united atWoonsocket. 

Wcsterty— 12 districts.— 1 and 2 united at Westerly. 

Tiverton — 17 districts. — One more has been added since the appropriation was made. 



9 
THE BIBLE AND PRAYER IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 

For two years past the question of the connection of re- 
ligion with our public schools has arisen in various shapes, and 
the Commissioner has been cahed upon to express his opinion 
as to the legal rights of the respective parties. 

In 1852, he was called upon to give an opinion in a case 
which arose in Cumberland in regard to praying in school. 

In March, 1853, he decided on appeal a case which arose in 
North Kingstown, and which incidentally involved the ques- 
tion of holding religious meetings in a school house. The 
opinion in this case was approved by the Judges of the Supreme 
Court. Both these opinions are published in the report made 
January, 1853. 

The last year, being again called upon, he addressed the fol- 
lowing letter to a friend upon the subject of the use of the 
Bible in school. 

Office of Commissioner of Public Schools, ) 
Providence, Aug. 2, 1854. 5 

T)ear Sir, — You enquire whether a teacher has a right to 
open a public school by reading of the Scriptures, if objected to. 

These questions relating to religious exercises in public 
schools cause a great deal of agitation, and yet it seems to me 
that the principles on which they should be decided are per- 
fectly plain. I have already had occasion to refer to these in 
a decision made in a case in Cumberland, which is published 
in the annual school report for 1853, and the reports for 1853 
and 1854 contain the opinions of various writers and speakers 
upon the subject, collected together. 

I know of no sounder rule of law, of no higher law, which 
can be applied to the case you mention, than this : " All things 
whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do you even 
so to them." — Matt. 7: 12. 

It is well known (or ought to be) that there are two princi- 
pal English versions of the Bible, King James', or the common 
version used by Protestants, and the Douay, used by the Cath- 
olics. 

Now, if a Protestant, living in a district where the Roman 
Catholics had a majority of voters and appointed the trustees 
and the teachers, would not wish to have his children com- 
pelled to listen to the Douay version, for the same reasons a 
Catholic would not like to have his children compelled to listen 
to the Protestant version, and no Protestant should for a mo- 
ment think of compelling them to do so. 



10 

And it amounts to compulsion, of course, if it is made a 
regular school exercise and all are required to listen to it. 

But the view I have taken applies only to this case, i. e., 
where it is made a regular exercise, and all are required to 
take part in it or to listen to it. 

If a particular class only is required to read in the Bible, 
while other scholars are pursuing their own studies, no one not 
a member of the class has a right to object to it, more than he 
has to any other reading book being used by a class of which 
he is not a member. 

I have thus far referred only to the case of Catholics and 
Protestants, but the same rule, of course, would govern in case 
of any person who had conscientious objections. 

The power to regulate the books and exercises of the school 
is entirely in the hands of the school committees. No parent 
sending to the school has a right to interfere with it, from 
mere whim or caprice, for this would be to have no system at 
all. But this power is to be construed subject to the great con- 
stitutional provision for freedom of conscience. Any person, 
therefore, has a right to object in such cases from conscientious 
motives, and from those only. 

Our school system is a part of the machinery of the State, 
supported by the funds of the State ; and no one has a right 
to use it as a means to enforce upon others his own religious 
views. 

Very respectfully, yours, 

E. R. POTTER. 

John B. Tallman, Esq. 

As the principles upon which this opinion depends, have 
been misunderstood by many, and misrepresented by others, it 
may be well, perhaps, to enter into a brief consideration of the 
whole subject. To consider it properly, it is necessary to look 
at it in all its different phases, and from all sides of the ques- 
tion. 

Of the importance of moral instruction, and of the various 
modes in which it may be given without sectarian peculiarity, 
I have given my views in full in the report for 1853. 

Of the use of the Bible in schools the following opinion 
was expressed by me nine years ago in the notes to the school 
laws then published. " In regard to the use of the Bible in 
schools, two observations occur here. If the committee pre- 
scribe, or the teacher wishes to have the Bible read in school, 
it should not be forced upon any children whose parents have 



11 

any objections whatever to its use. In most cases the teacher 
will hav^e no difficulty with the parents on this subject, if he 
conducts with proper kindness and courtesy. In the next 
place, no scholars should be set to read in the Bible at school, 
until they have learned to read with fluency. To use it as a 
text book for the younger scholars, often has the effect of lead- 
ing them to look upon it with the same sort of careless disre- 
gard and sometimes dislike, with which they regard their other 
school books, instead of that respect and veneration with which 
this Book of books should always be treated and spoken of." 

As to the importance of moral and religions instruction, I 
presume we pretty generally agree ; but it should be recollect- 
ed that the present discussion is not about its importance, but 
about the legal and constitutional rights of parties, how far 
such instruction can be given in a public school, established 
by law, and supported by general taxation. The question is 
in fact, have we a right to use the civil law (for the school is 
an institution established by the civil law,) to inculcate our 
religious doctrines ? 

And it seems to me that the rule 1 have attempted lo lay 
down is the only one on which moral and religious instruction 
can be given in our public schools, consistently with a due re- 
gard for the consciences and constitutional rights of individ- 
uals, viz : that the teacher has no right to pray or read the 
Bible himself in school, if any one objects; but that an^^ class 
in school may read the Bible, and that no child not in the class 
has any right to object to their reading it, any more than he 
has a right to object to their reading from any other school 
book, provided he himself is allowed to be about his studies, 
and is not required to listen to it. 

This plan does not exclude the Bible from school, and it 
seems to me the only way in which we should wish to retain 
it, if v/e believe in voluntary, instead of compulsory religion. 

In the first place, if a teacher manages with discretion, ob- 
jection would seldom be made to his reading it himself ; and 
if objection be made, he can put those whose parents do not 
object to it in a class by themselves ; and then no other person 
would have a legal right to object to their reading in it, if not 
required to join in it or hear it himself. If the parents of any 
child in the Bible class objected to his using it, all the teacher 
would have to do, would be to excuse that child from the 
class, but the others would continue to read it. 

I believe I entertain as high veneration for the Bible as ma- 
ny of those who have differed from me on this question. 



12 

Without it I should consider our civil and religious liberties 
deprived of their main support. Bat I believe that religion is 
to be spread by persuasion and example, and the blessing of 
God upon these means, and not by forcing it upon others. 

Having thus given what I consider to be the only safe and 
practicable rule, the only one which does justice to the con- 
sciences of all, let us for a short space consider whether this 
is not the only rul« which can be supported upon constitution- 
al and legal principles, unless we are prepared to change our 
fundamental laws and to establish religion by law. 

In the first place, let us recollect that we are tallying not 
about private but about public schools, and we should consider 
that there is a material difference between a public and a pri- 
vate school. In a private school tiie teacher has the sole con- 
trol. The parents know his terms, and if the}' do not like 
his conduct, can withdraw their children. So also a school 
established by a church or any number of persons, at their own 
expense. But to a public school, every man has a right to 
send, and neither school officers nor teachers have a right to 
make any conditions which the law does not make. The 
school is supported, and the house built, by money collected 
by force of law from people of all religions, and from people 
of no religion. 

In this discussion I assume as a settled principle, that no 
portion of the people have a right to impose their worship on 
any other portion of the people, or upon any single individual, 
and cannot compel him to attend upon it, to hear it, or to sup- 
port it, by tax or in any other way whatevar. 

With those who dispute this principle, I have no disposition 
whatever to argue. It lies at the very foundation of Rhode 
Island institutions, formed a part of our ancient Declaration 
of Rights, and is embodied substantially in our present Con- 
stitution. Our ancestors were in advance of their age when 
they established it, and other States and nations have been 
slowly coming up to our standard. And a great change must 
have taken place in Rhode Island if any thing inconsistent 
with this fundamental principle can now be allowed here. 

In regard to prayer in a public school, if sectarianism is to 
be excluded from our Schools, the question then arises, can 
prayer be made to express the sectarian peculiarities of the 
person who makes the prayer? But one answer, an affirma- 
tive one, can be given to this question. 

It is the right and duty of every person to pray at the times 
and in the mode approved by his own conscience. But it 



13 

seems equally plain that one person has no right to compel 
another to hear his ])rayers, if they are not agreeable to him. 
And it would amount to compulsion, if prayer is made a regu- 
lar exercise of the school, and a pupil cannot come to the school 
without hearing it or violating the regulations of the school. 

Prayer may be a very proper and useful exercise in school, 
and yet government have no right to enforce attendance on it. 

And in regard to the Bible, we should recollect that there 
are many different versions. There is a Unitarian, there is to 
be a Baptist version : there is a Roman Catholic version. 

But It is suggested by many, that tlie teacher may pray and 
read the Bible in school, and that those who object to it should 
be permitted to leave the room while the exercises proceed. 

This also seems to me totally inconsistent with the princi- 
ples of religious liberty established by our forefathers, and by 
our constitution. The school and the school room are the 
common right and property of all, and no scholar should be 
obliged to leave it for any such purpose. 

The teacher is practically chosen by the majority of the dis- 
trict, for they choose the trustees, and the trustees choose the 
teacher. Now if a majority of a district or a teacher have a 
right to have religious exercises in a public scliool-house, and 
to require those who do not like it to leave, then has our Legis- 
lature, by its school law, authorized a majority of a district to 
support religious exercises, and to tax the minority for it. 

Once admit the right to have religious exercises in school 
without general consent, and who is to regulate the manner or 
the length of the exercises? In the last resort the Legislature 
must do It, and then Church and State would be united. 

An Episcopalian teacher might conscientiously think it his 
duty to read the whole morning and evening services of his 
church. A Catholic the same. A Unitarian might feel it his 
duty to read the new testament to his scholars from the Uni- 
tarian improved version, or a Catholic from the Douay version. 
And religion would in reality be supported by taxation. 

There are some districts in the State now, where the Roman 
Catholics have the majority, or nearly so, of the voters. Such 
a princi|)Ie would allow them to force their worship upon the 
Protestant minority, and to use for Catholic worship a building 
erected by the taxes of Protestants. 

And it may be well also, to consider whether if we make 
this a matter to be contested and regulated by majorities, the 
Bible might not in some places be prohibited altogether. 



14 

I hold that while we have the power, we should establish 
principles upon this subject hij which tve should be willins; to 
be governed ourselves if we were out of poiver. We sbould 
endeavor to lay down rules for districts where Protestants have 
the majority", by which we should be willing to abide if we 
lived in a district where Catholics had a majority ; rules for 
which we could honestly contend if oppressed, without the 
danger of having the Catholics turn round upon us and defend 
their intolerance by the example we had set before them. 

It seems to me therefore, the only safe way is to leave this 
matter to voluntary arrangement between the teacher and pa- 
rents and school officers. Religious exercises, if conducted in 
a really Christian spirit, would seldom be objected to. The 
Lord's Prayer, or one similar in substance, would probably 
never be objectd to. If a teacher goes beyond this, and en- 
deavors to impress upon his schrlars his peculiar denomination- 
al notions, the parent should have a right to put a stop to it. 
And if a teacher knows that a parent has this right, he will be 
more likely to try to avoid all occasion for objection. 

If a teacher feels it his duty before entering on his school 
exercises to ask for God's blessing on his exertions and for his 
aid and encouragemcnl in his work, this purpose may perhaps 
be answered more effectually by silent prayer, than by those 
public prayers, with which the unchristian motives of ostenta- 
tion and vanity will sometimes mingle, in spite of our best 
endeavors. 

The question in regard to religion in public schools has been 
agitated in many of the States of our Union. Thinking that 
it would probably soon be agitated here, I collected and pub- 
lished in the appendices to the two last School Reports — 18-53 
and 1854 — the opinions of some of the most distinguished 
men of this and foreign countries, both for and against relig- 
ious education in schools, and to these I would refer those who 
wish for full information on this subject. 

The rule laid down in the laws of tlie State of Massachu- 
setts, while it ponits out and inculcates the duty of the teacher 
to give moral instruction, is carefully drawn to avoid giving 
counttmance to any attempt to impart sectarian instruction. 

"It shall be the duty of the teachers to use their best en- 
deavors to jmpress upon the minds of the youth commiued to 
their care and instruction, the principles of piety, justice and a 
sacred regard to truth, love to their country, humanity and 
universal benevolence, sobriety, industry, frugality, chastity, 
moderation, temperance and those other virtues which are the 



15 

ornament of human society and the basis npon which a repub- 
lican constitution is founded ; and they shall endeavor to lead 
their pupils, as their ages and capacities will allow, into a clear 
undei standing of the tendency of these virtues to preserve 
and perfect a republican constitution and secure the blessings 
of liberty, as well as to promote their own happiness; and 
also to point out to them the evil tendencj^ of the ojiposite 
vices." 

As these principles could not be expressed in better lati- 
guage, it has been copied word for word into the General Reg- 
ulations of Upper Canada. Many of our towns have incor- 
porated it in substance in their school regulations. 

In the old world also, this question has been long agitated 
and most ably argued. In our mother country England, the 
principal obstacle to establishing any system of public educa- 
tion is that religious sects cannot agree who shall control them. 
And so while sects quarrel, the children remain in stupid ig- 
norance. 

"Could Bossuet rise from his grave, how would he chuckle 
at this Engh'sh aspect of Protestantism, broken up into denom- 
inational portions incapable of co-operating in one grand scheme 
of national education ! Could he have foreseen what we see, 
with what scornful triumph would he not have predicted it as 
an extravagant issue of the new faith, and how indignantly 
would that faith have repudiated the monstrous imputation of 
so monstrous an issue? Why, see the absurdity of our posi- 
tion. It is the case of a number of rival beauties — or, in their 
own estimation, beauties, desirous to fascinate a powerful blind 
man, each confident of the infinite superiority of her charms, 
and each looking with proud contempt on her competitor. — 
'Give the blind man sight,' you would expect them to say, 
'and let him decide between us.' Not so our denominational 
rivals. Before they will allow him to be couched, each insists 
on impressing his mind with a clear appreciation of her partic- 
ular style of beauty, to the exclusion of every other. They 
are all anxious, they say, that he should see, but then all desire 
he should see with a foregone conclusion. They are very ar- 
rogant, all of them, about their charms, and yet each seems 
afraid to submit these charms to the free vision and unbiassed 
judgment of this blind Paris. There is a most sus[)icious 
struggle who it is that should superintend the couchmg, who 
should find the operator, who should first impress her form on 
the opening eye. Meanwhile, the strong man continues blind. 
Not harmless because he is blind, but the reverse. Now mis- 



16 

chievously exerting his massive energy as he would not have 
exerted it, could he have seen, and yet half pleased with the 
mischance as a retribution on those who will not cause him to 
see, instinctively feeling that he ouglit to see, and growing 
more and more disgusted with those selfish competitors, who 
for their own ends deprive hinn of the gift and privilege of 
sight." — ^Extract from Richard Church's letter to R. Cobden, 
Esq., 1852.] 

When we consider that the agitation of this question in the 
old world has been the chief obstacle to general popular edu- 
cation and how much trouble and opposition to school systems 
it has caused in some of our own States, we should be very 
cautions as to encountering the same dangers here. We should 
cordially unite in endeavoring to establish a platform upon 
which all can freely support our laws, with the full knowledge 
that no attempt will or can be made to influence the religious 
opinions of the children they send to the public schools. 

Even if we could not unite for any purpose beyond secular 
instruction and that of the most elementary character, better 
unite for that only than have no schools at all. The public 
school is in fact but a small part of a child's education. The 
influences of home are the all important and guiding influences 
which generally decide his career. The influences of compan- 
ions, of the public opinion (so to speak) of his little circle, and 
as he grows up the influences of the piess, and of the public 
institutions of his country all conjoin to mould his character. 

And when we endeavor to influence the child through re- 
ligious instruction in schools, are we not putting forth our ef- 
forts in the wrong direction, even to effect the very purpose 
we have in view? Ought not these exertions to be directed to 
their parents and their homes ? If all is right there, there is but 
little fear for the child, and if all is not right there, religious 
instruction in school can do but little. 

If religious instruction were to be given in schools there is 
a serious doubt whether it would be of a character to efl"ect 
the end proposed. 

"It is not, of course, religious instruction for a child to be 
drilled, year upon year, in spelling out the words of the Bible, 
as a reading book — it may be only an exercise that answers 
the problem how to dull the mind most effectually to all sense 
of the Scripture words, and communicate least of their mean- 
ing. Nay, if the Scriptures were entirely exch.ded from the 
schools, and all formal teaching of religious doctrine, I would 
yet undertake, if I could have my liberty as a teacher, to com- 



n 

mnnicate more of real Christian truth to a Catholic and a 
Protestant boy, seated side by side, in the regulation of their 
treatment of each other, as related in terms of justice and 
chantv, and their government as members of the school com- 
munity, (where truth, order, industry and obedience are duties 
laid upon the conscience, under God,j than they will ever draw 
from any catechism, or have worn into their brain by dull and 
stammering exercise of a Scripture reading lesson." — Extract 
from Dr. BushnelV s Discourse, 1853. 

" The day-school is, indeed, a powerful auxiliary to religion, 
in the way of preparation. It teaches elementary knowledge, 
and gives the power of studying the Bible and other religious 
books. It disciplines the intellectual faculties. It disciplines 
the will, and the moral feelings. By a proper government, it 
teaches and necesitates subordination to superiors, subjugation 
of self-will and self-indulgence, regard for truth, control of 
temper, industrious, patient andj persevering application, and 
that reverence for the Deity and sacred^ things, and those uni- 
versal principles of morals, in which all agree. In a word, the 
daily discipline of a school, and the incidental moral teaching 
it implies, work right principles into the minds of the pupils, 
and that in the permanent form of habits. So that the day- 
school is an important preparative and aid, to religions teaching. 
But its direct religious or doctrinal instruction, when attempt- 
ed, is of very little value, if it is not, as we think it is on the 
whole, worse than nothing. Of course there are manifest and 
decided exceptions, — in the case of teachers of peculiar piety, 
and competency for religious instruction. But this does not 
invalidate the general truth; which is attested by enlightened 
observation — the observation of those acquainted with private 
schools in which religious instruction is attempted, (for as we 
have said, there has been almost none in our ])ublic schools,) 
and by the observation of those who have been familiar with 
the national schools of Great Britain, where somewhat thorough 
religious teaching is required. Some testimony of this latter 
kind we will adduce. 

" The Hon. and Rev. Baptist W. Noel, whom our readers 
know as an able and evangelical clergyman of the church of 
England, in a report, which, as an inspector of schools, he ad- 
dressed to the Committee of Council on Education, after having 
spent two months in visiting 195 schools, writes thus — we have 
room for only a short extract — ' But it was in their understand- 
ing of the Scriptures, daily read, that I regretted to find the 
most advanced children of the national schools so extremely 



18 

defective. Not only were they often ignorant of the principal 
facts recorded in the Bible, bnt they conld not answer even the 
simplest questions upon the chapters which they had most re- 
cently read. Nor was their religious ignorance lessened by 
their knowledge of the catechism. I several times examined 
the first class upon a portion of the catechism, and I never once 
found them to comprehend it. * * * Both in reading the scrip- 
tures to the monitors, and in repeating the catechism, the chil- 
dren showed a marked inattention and weariness, occasionally 
varied, when the master's eye was not on them, by tokens of 
roguish merriment. * * * Being thus made the medium through 
which reading and spelling are taught, it (the Bible) becomes 
associated in their minds with all the rebukes and punishments 
to which bad reading, or false spelling, or inattention in class 
exposes them ; and it is ivell if bein^ thus used for purposes 
tievfir desif^ned, it do not become permauently the symbol of 
all that is irksome and repulsive.'' 

'' Equally decisive, and more directly to the confirmation 
of our position, is the testimony of Dr. Vaughn. — ' For our 
own part, we have always entertained a very low opinion of 
the religious instruction given in day-schools, and of the re- 
ligious impression produced by it. We have thought that a 
fuss has been made about it wonderfully greater than the thing 
itself would justify. It has reminded us too much of our Ox- 
ford religionists, who would pass for being very pious because 
prayers are read in the college chapel every morning. We ad- 
mit most readily, that the training of a good day-school may 
prepare a young mind for receiving religious lessons with ad- 
vantage from the lips of a parent, a Sunday school teacher, or 
a minister; but the man must have been a sorry observer of 
day-schools, who can regard the religious instruction obtained 
there as being, while existing alone, of any great value.'* 

"' But while I believe many pious persons are most honest 
in their demands on this point, and while I admit that many 
teachers in daily schools do their best to give a religious cast 
to their instructions, I am still obliged to repeat, that I have a 
very humble opinion of the direct religious instruction which 
is given in day-schools, or that can ever be given in such in- 
stitutions. Nor do I speak without experience on this subject. 
I have served more than one apprenticeship in the superintend- 
ence of schools on the British system, and the great benefit of 
such schools, I have always found to consist, not in any direct 
religious impression produced by them, but in their adaption 
*The British Quarterly Review, Vol. IV, p. 271. 



19 

to prepare the young for receiving religious instruction with 
advantage elsewhere." — [Neiv Englander, for 1848.] 

"Prison Inspectors report that among the juvenile delin- 
quents at Parkhurst and other prisons, there are lads of fifteen 
a dozen times committed for as many different offences, as well 
versed in the catechism and Lyturgy as any member of the 
bench of Bishops." — [Westminster Review, July, 1851.] 

" As Protestants, indeed, we are bound to assert, in the face 
of ' Papists,' that religion is a matter of private judgment and 
that each man. on his own responsibility, must choose his own. 
But, as educators, we are bound to render such a dangerous 
practice impossible. We must catch the child as soon as he 
can learn — we must get him into a day-schdol, where he shall 
be swathed in formulas, catechisms and prayers — we must 
carefully see that he never gets his secular knowledge pure — 
we must mix up dogmatic religion with his spelling, his read- 
ing, his arithmetic and his geography; we must make him 
accept our views of religious truth as true, and look upon every 
one else as false. When we have done this during the most 
plastic period of his life, when we have given him a bias from 
which we think it will be difficult for him to recover, drilled 
into him impressions we have taught him to venerate, carefully 
excluded from him all reasoning or testimonj'' adverse to our 
own, cramped him in his secular acquirements, and completely 
indisposed him to freedom of inquiry, — we can then safely, 
and without a blush, send him into the world as a valuable il- 
lustration of Protestant liberty, and an eloquent witness of the 
glorious privilege of private judgment. Whether, on the Prot- 
estant principle, honestly interpreted, such second-hand, birch- 
rod religion can secure him a place in heaven, may be a doubt, 
but that is his affair. It is calculated that it will induce him 
to take a seat in church, and that is the educator's affair." — 
[Westminster Review, for 1853.] 

In order to carry out their idea of religious education in 
public schools, some have proposed a division of the public 
money to the different denominations. The State would then 
act merely as the tax collector, atid the denominations support 
their own schools. 3ut here difficulties at once arise. Ought 
each denomination to receive only what was raised from the 
tax upon their own members. If this is all, why should the 
State interfere at all ? or should each denomination receive 
not in proportion to what it paid, but in proportion to its num- 
bers? This would be manifestly unjust as one sect would be 
taxed to support the religion of another sect. And how should 



20 

the census be taken ? should it include all the nominal, or only 
the real adheients of each sect ? Justice would require too 
that if the denominations had their part of the money, those 
of no religion at all should have their portion too. And the 
end would be that a large portion of the children would go 
uneducated. 

The mistake is in supposing that a school, if it is not a re- 
ligious school, must necessarily be an irreligious or godless 
school. So far from this being the case, even if the school is 
merely secular, its whole influence would be favorable to re- 
ligion, from the habits which would be formed in it without any 
direct religious instruction. 

If any religious book can be read by the teacher in school 
or any religious exercise introduced upon any other ground 
than the one I have recommended, then some body or other, 
the teacher, the district, the school committee or town or the 
Legislature has of course the right to prescribe the length and 
form of these exercises. 

If the Legislature regulates them, then we have a religion 
established by the State or the majority for the time being. 

If the School Committee regulates them, then we have 
religious exercises established by the majority of a town, for 
this majority elects the school committee. 

Or the majority of the district may regulate them, and if 
the teacher regulates it himself, the majority of the district do 
in fact control it, as they choose the Trustees, they the teacher. 

Once have it understood that these officers have a right to 
control the religion of the schools, and their election becomes 
at once a struggle for sectarian predominance. 

We are apt to be misled in our views of this question, from 
the fact that in our own State, a very great majority of the peo- 
ple agree substantially in their religious views, and it seems 
strange to us, that a few, a small minority should have any 
right to oppose the religious views of a large majority. We 
forget for the moment that in matters of religious faith, num- 
bers cannot add to the right. They may resort to force indeed. 
If all were on one side but one single individual, that single 
man would have the same right in matters of conscience as the 
majority. Our Constitution and laws are nothing worth, if 
they cannot protect the religious rights of the meanest and 
weakest individual, be he Catholic, Jew, Mahometan, Chinese 
or Pagan. 

If any one single denomination should demand to have its 
peculiar worship introduced into the schools, all the other de- 



21 

nominations, as well as those who do not helong to any denom- 
ination, would join together in opposing and condemning it. 
But if five or six denominations who happen to agree as to 
some things they consider essentiid, should uniie in endeavor- 
ing to have these introduced in the schools, would the nnni- 
her of denominations who might joni in it, make that right in 
them which was wrong when attempted hy one denomiuaiioii 
only? The minority woidd still have their right. 

The desire to enforce our own views of right is a most nat- 
ural one: we have satisfied oinselves that a certain course or a 
certain doctrine is right — is it not right then that we should 
enforce the riuht cause hy all the means in our power? must 
we yield to other people's consciences — have we not consciences 
of our own? This is the natural logic of the midisciplined 
mind, and it requires a cool and comprehensive view of the 
suhject in its variinis lights, to see the defects of this reasoning. 
It is the foundation of all persecuiion ; it has filled the world 
with misery, and made the history of religion a history of con- 
tention and war. 

Says Archbishop Whately, one of the fairest and most can - 
did as well as ablest of modern religious writers, "Mist 
[christians] not as civil inajistrat'S, act on chrisiiiii principles? 
No doubt: but they would cease to act on christian principles, 
if they should employ the coercive power of civil mijistrates 
in the cause of Christianity ; if they should not only take a 
part in civil affairs, but claim as christians, or as members of a 
particular church, a monopoly of civil rights." {Kingdom of 
Christ. ) 

The desire to impose our own views upon otiiers in anv 
other way than by argument and persuasion, betrays a want 
of confidence in the sonnduess of those views. Or we are 
afraid that truth of itself is not strong enough without some 
help, forgetting that to entertain such a fear, is to throw a re- 
proach upon God's plan of governmcMit. Some of us after 
liviiii^ to a good old age in sin, are suddenly surprised by the 
awakening of our consciences and the shining of some new 
light upon us, and forthA'ith we are mad with all our neigh- 
bors if th&y do not see the same light as soon as we do. God 
lias been patient and endured us through a long lite of wicked- 
ness ; '1 e have no patience with them. 

" When Abraham sat at his tent door, according to his cus- 
tom, waiting to entertain strangers, he espied an old man 
stooping and leaning upoti his staff, weary with age and travel, 

4 



•22 

coming towards him. who was an hundred years of age; he 
received him kindly, washed his feet, provided supper and 
caused him to sit down : but observing ihal the old man eat 
and prayed not, nor begged for a blessing on his meat, asked 
him why he did not worship the God of Heaven? The old 
man told him that he worshipped the fire only, and acknowl- 
edged no other God : at which answer Abraham grew so zeal- 
ously angry that he thrust the old man out of his tent and ex- 
posed him to all the evils of the night and an unguarded con- 
dition. When the old man was gone, God called to Abraham 
and asked him where the stranger was? he replied, I thrust 
him away because he did not worsliip tliee : God ai:swered 
him, I have suffered hiui thes(! hundred years, although he 
dislionoured me, and could'st thou not eudme him one night 
when he gave thee no trouble? n[)on this (saith the story) 
Abraham fetched him back again, and L'ave bun hospitable 
entertainment and wise instruction. Go thou and do likewise 
and thy chanty will be rewarded by the God of Abraham."* 

Let us for a while consider some of the views which we 
sometimes hear expressed upon this subject. 

It is said sometimes that this is a Protestant country, mean- 
ing, if they do n(;t say it, that therefore our Protestant religion 
should be taught in the schools. The only thing that can be 
meant by this, of course, is that the Protestants are the major- 
ity. Do those who use ibis argumeijt consider its conse- 
quences? If because Protestants are the majority here, we 
have a right to dictate religious exercises to the minority, or to 
spread our religion by any other means th;in fiersu.'ision, then 
because (vatlntiics are in the majority in France, Spain, Aus- 
tria, Italy, &c., we should jiisiify the means they take t? put 
down Protestantism there. Once you allow the right to go 
beyond persuasion, the degree of force must be left to the con- 
sciences of the Catholic majority. 'I'uscany did right then in 
prohibiting the Madiai from circulating the Protestant Bible. 

Hut it is also said we Protestants were here first with our 
religion — the others are intruders — the later emigrants came 
here knowing what our religuui was, and ought to be quiet 

Let us see what this would lead to. If because Piotesiants 
first stitiled New England, the consciences ofCatholics are not 
to be respected, then because Catholics first settled Maryland 
and Louisiana, the conscience of a l^rotestant is not to be re- 
garded m tliose Stales. 

If the first religion which obtains footing in a country has 
*8.sIiop Tayloi-'a L.bcrty of Prophcsyiug. It is said lo be a Jewisli tradition. 



a moral right to exclude all others, then Protestantism has no 
business whatever in Rhode-Island. The Indian religion was 
here before the Protestant. The Protestants were themselves 
intruders. Kantantowit would be the God of Rhode-lsla id ; 
we should hav'« to send off our present clergy, and tal^e our 
priests from the remnant of the Narragansett Indians in Charles- 
town. 

And suppose, not an emigrant, but one of our own native 
Protestant citizens, should from conviction change his religion 
and become a Catholic or a Mahometan. He certainly is no 
intruder. He was born heie and has the same rights to his 
own opinions as we have. Are w^e Protestants to assert the 
right to school his children in a religion whicii tlie parent be- 
lieves wrong ? 

Can any one in this age mean to reassert the monstrous 
principli', that because those of any particular religion happen 
to occupy and establish themselves in a country first, they 
have a right to prevent those of other religions coming there, 
or if they come, from enjoying all the rights of conscience, 
their religion or tiieir no religion, if they please? Has God 
appropriated any particular portion of the earth to any re- 
ligion ? 

It is said of the first settlers of a neighboring State that 
when they were at a loss how to get the land from the Indi- 
ans, they met in solemn conclave and passed the following re- 
solves : first, that the earth is the Lord's and the fullness there- 
of: secondly, the Lord has given it to his saints: and thirdly, 
(and very naturally,) we are the saints: and forthwiih they 
took possession under this title. The story was no doubt 
made up by those who desired to ridicule the zeal of the Pu- 
ritans, but it expresses a great deal of human nature. 

Our Protestant ancestors came here fugitives from persecu- 
tion, to obtain a shelter Inr the enjoyment of their own re- 
ligion and righjs of conscience. As soon as they found them- 
selves secure, they refused to allow the same rights to others, 
and the first settlement of Rhode-Island was the consequence,* 



* " They sought these shor- s, to establish here, far from English bishops and thcii" 
tyranny over reason ami conscience, religious liberty for themselves and their pos- 
terity. This, at first, certainly seems to promise tiie final accomplishment of the 
great object of the Reformation — even the entire emancipation of tiie individual 
mind from spiritual thraldom, and the cstablisliment of its f/ecdom in the bo-om of 
a congenial community. But, in fact, it pi'oved to be only anoUier step toward that 
end. What they meant by religious freeilom, was not the freeflom rvt'the individual 
mind from the domination of tlie spiritual order, bat merely the freedom of their 
particular church; and Just as the English government had thrown off tlie tyranny 
of the l^ope, to estal)U>h the tyranny of the bi^hops, they threw otf the tyranny of 
the bishops, to establish the tyrauay of the brethren, liiit still, a small cuauauuity, 



24 

Historians have often apologized for the persecutions by the 
Puritans, by saying that it was the spirit of the age, the fash- 
ion of the tinnes, forgetting that on this ground no one could 
justly condemn Archbishop Land, or the exactions of the En- 
glish government from which the Puritans themselves fled. 

Would yon, being a majority, establish Protestantism as the 
rehVion of the schocils of the State ? Then, with the same 
feelings, would yon not establish Episcopalianism, Unitarian- 
ism, or Congregationalism, if you had the majority and the 
power ?* 

The confusion of thought into which some v.^ry able wri- 
ters are betrayed by the warmth of their zeal upon this sub- 
ject, is truly wonderful. Take for instance the following fro n 
one of the ablest of (he Theological Reviews, the Princeton 
Review for Jtdy, 1 81 6 : 

'•What right has the State, a majority of the people (or a 
mere clique which in fact commonly control such matters) to 
say what shall be taught in schools which the people snsiain ? 
What more right have they to say that no religion shall be 
taught, than they have to say that Popery shall be taught? 
* * * If tlie ])eople of a particular district choose to have a 
school in which the Westminster * * Catechism is tauaht, we 
cannot see on what principle of reliuions liberty, the State has 
a right to interfere and say it shall not he done: if you teacli 
your religion, you shall nut draw your own money from the 
public fund." 

Now, liere is a writer who denies the right of the State or 
the inajo ity of the State to impose religion or no religion on 
the schools, and yet claims for the majority of a district the 
right to have the Westminster Catechism taught in it. If ma- 
jorities, as majorities, have any peculiar rights in religious mat- 
ters, the majority of the State, the superior corporation, would 
seem to have the best right. "^I'he writer claims protection for 
the rights of districts, but forgets that it is the duly of the 
State to protect individuals as well as'districts. And the State 



under the rule of brethren, is nearer to an individual than a nation under a mon- 
an-ji; and the establishment, here, of these churches or religious associations, even 
under their ecclesiastical and civil forms, proved to be a great approximation to- 
wai'd the realization of tiie full freedom of the individual mind in congenial social 
institutions. True, they established nothing but the liberty of Church and State 
cori)orations, and of their respective members; but it was easier to break from the 
restraints im|)Osed by a i)etty community, than from those imposed by the govern- 
ment and people of Englanti; especially when the daring adventurer had the wil- 
derness before him." — Judge Durfee's Historical Discourse. 

*The Protestant religion was actually supported by taxation la Massachusetts 
down to the yeoi- 1833. 



25 

does not say (as he represents) yon shall not draw your men 
money, but you sliall not apply to the support of your religion 
in the school, money drawn by taxation not only fro»n your- 
selves but from people oi other denominations and from peojjle 
of no denomuiation. 

We can have read the religious history of past ages to little 
purpose, if we expect to produce argreenient in matters of rel.g. 
ion'by any thing short of absolute prohibition of all freedom of 
speech and writing, and even then it would be a mere outward 
conformity. 

Constituted as the human mmd is, we necessarily disagree : of- 
ten, we do not so much disagree, as take different views of the 
same truth. Not even a tniracle, unless one which should en- 
tirely change our modes of thinking, could make us all see 
alike. It is related that there was once a great contestation 
in the church as to whicli service, that of St. Gregory or that 
of St. Ambrose should be used. God was appealed to to de- 
cide the matter by a .niracle. The two missals were laid upon 
the altar of the church in Milan and the door shut and sea'ed. 
In the morning St. Gregory's missal was found torn in pieces 
and scattered about the church and St. Ambrose's was found 
open upon the altar. Neither party denied the miracle, but 
they forthwith quarrelled about, its meaning. The friends of 
St. Gregory's missal argued that by the tearing and scattering 
about, it was meant that it should be used all over the world, 
but that St. Ambrose's being put upon the altar of the cliurch 
meant that it should be used in that church and there only. So 
ended this attempt, as the story goes, to produce uniformity by 
a miracle.* 

It seems a strange and selfish policy for us, ourselves the 
immediate descendants of those who emigrated from their 
homes to escape the civil and religious persecutions of a past 
age, having secured our own asylum, now to shut out tVom our 
country the present victims of the same spirit of oppression. 

Rather, not only as friends of civil liberty, but if we believe 
our religious views to be true, as friends of true religion, should 
we welcome them to our shores, to the full enjoyment of re- 
ligion and to all the privileges of our schools. So will they 
be brought within the intiuence of the spirit of enquiry and 
educated to think for themselves and to act as bi comes citizens 
of this great Republic. Many of these emigrants have come 
from countries where religion or at least the priesthood are in 
open alliance with the despotism which crushed them. What 
* Bishop Jeremy Taylor's Liberty of Prophesying. 



26 

wonder then that some of them have a prejudice as^ainst re- 
ligion, Jiaviiig seen it only in sucli guise? Many of these em- 
igrants too hive come from a country where they have heen 
kept down and o[)pressed by a Protestant government. Wliat 
wonder then, that they have a prejudice against Protestantism. 
Be it our endeavor to counteract lliese prejudices, to instil into 
them the true doctrine of religious charity and toleration, and 
to show them by our own example, its peaceful and beiieti- 
cent effect. 

But, it is said, we have to contend witli an uncompromising 
religion. Grianting that the Roman Catholics would if they 
could, impose their religion upon us, does that justify us in im- 
posing our religion upon them and their children? That would 
certainly be strange logic for a christian. Because they have 
done or would do wrong, are we to do wrong? The Jews in 
the days of (^'hrist were intoleran*'. to the extreme. Did Christ 
oppose them with their own weapons? and can we, unless we 
forsake christian principles ?* 

But it may be, and has been argued that Christ and his 
apostles did not use the civil law to spread their religion be- 
cause they were weak, but they did not mean that their fol- 
lowers v/hen they attained power should not use it in favor of 
their religion. To those who can argue thus, the only fit reply 
is in the words of Archbishop Whately: "If I could believe 
Jesus to have been guilty of such subterfuges as I have been 
speakiig of, I not only could not acknowledge Him as sent 
from God, but should reject Him with the deepest moral indig- 
nation." 

Biit.it is said, why should we respect the conscience of one 
person, and disregard the consciences of all others? This is 
only the old question in another shape : Have the majority a 
right to impose their religion on the minority? T'his'majority 
have of course a right to profess and maintain their religion in 
all places v/here they can do so without contravening the rights 
of others; but the minority have as good a right to attend the 

*" The only true spirit of tolerance consists in the conscientious toleration of 
each other's intolerance." — Jacobi quoted by Coleridge. 

" Toleration is a word which ought scarcely to be heard out of a Christian's 
mouth. I tolerate the religion of my brother ! I might as well say I tolerate the con- 
tinuance of his head upon his shoulders. I have no more right to hold his creed at 
my disposal, or his person in consequence of his creed, than his head. The idea 
of toleration, is a relic of the effect of the Papal usurpation. That usurpation did 
not tolerate : and Protestants thought it was a great thing for them to do what the 
Papacy had thus refused. And so it was. It was a great thing for //(cw. *** But 
(and we may reverently say. Thanks be to God ! ) we. live in happier times. We 
have advanced from intolerance to tolerance ; and now it is time for us to advance 
from toleration to Religious Liberty, to that religious liberty which excludes all 
reference to creeds from the civil institutions of a people." — Dymond. 



07 
/w i 

school as the majority' and as the school is not established in 
order to teach religion, it is not the proper place for the major- 
ity to undertake to propagate their religion. 

T'his is the old argument upon which the Kings and Priests 
of Europe have oppressed all those who did not agree with 
them in religion. We have consciences of oin- own, and must 
we not carry out the dictates of our own consciences ? What 
right have a few dissenters to insist that we shall regard their 
consciences. This has been the language of power in all 
ages. 

It is said, also, shall we have no respect for the teachers^ 
conscience ? The last observations apply here also. The 
teacher has a right to profess and maintain his own religion in 
all proper places. But that is the limit of his right. Would 
the teacher have a right to come into my [private house, and 
without my consent impose his religious exercises upon me? 
The school house is for educational purposes, the property of 
every parent and child in the district. Every child has a right 
to be there for school purposes. Besides, the teacher when he 
takes a public school should consider that he is taking an office 
established by the civil law, and paid out of the public funds, 
just as much as if he took the office of justice of the peace or 
any other civil office. 

It is said, also, if we have no right to have religious exer- 
cises in schools, what right have we to require persons in the 
State prison or jails to attend religious worship? None at all. 
The provisions of the constitution of Rhode-Island are broad 
enough to protect even the inmates of a prison. It is plain, 
even I eyoud quibbling. No keeper of a prison has a right to 
compel any convict to attend any place of religious worship. 
If he does so, he violates the plain letter, as well as the spirit 
of the constitution.* 

It is said, too, that in paying any attention to objections 
made by parents to particular books, we are defying the school 
law, and recognizing an authority not mentioned in the law. 

'^I'he school committees have indeed the power by law to 
regulate the literary exercises of a school, but not to prescribe 
religious exercises for a school. They have indeed the power 
to prescribe the books to be used in a school, but this [lower 
and all their powers must be construed subject to the pro- 

* A prison is a place of punishment, and the legislature and officers of the prison 
may have a right to regulate and prescribe tlie mode of punishment; but no one I 
hope would argue the right to compel attendauce on public worship as a part of 
limit punishment. 



28 

visions of the Const'itntion relating to religions freedom. The 
ConslitLition is the supreme la v, and overrides all other laws. 

It has been said also, that if one objector can drive the 
Bible out of school, he can drive all other books out of school 
on the same ground, and so may render necessary an expurga- 
tion of our whole school literature to suit every individual 
conscience. T'his ohj(;ction can only be made by those who 
misunderstand the principles I have laid down and endeavored 
to defend. As no one by objecting can drive the Hi hie out of 
school, but will only be taken out of the cl.tss which U5es it, 
and allowed to pursue his other studies ; so if he objects to 
any other book, he could not effect its expulsion from schodl, 
but merely would not be compelled to read in it or hear it read 
himself And knowing that he could not prevent others from 
using tfie book, objections would seldom be made from ill will 
or oostinacy, but only from real scru[)les of conscience. 

And it seems to me that the ground I have taken with re- 
gard to the nse of the Bible in public schools, is the only one 
upon which the consciences of all, majority and minority, can 
be properly regarded. The teacher cannot make it a public 
school exercise, and require the attention of the whole school 
to it, if any one objects. But if any one does object, the ma- 
jority can still use it in a class by themselves, leaving the ob- 
jector out of the class ; and he has then no more right to ob- 
ject to their reading in it, than he has to their using any other 
book, which he does not wish, or is not required to use him- 
self 

And do religious persons sufficiently consider that a right of 
objection to the extent I have laid down, may be necessary to 
protect even themselves from exercises and books whose ten- 
dency they would disapprove of? A teacher under the guise 
of prayer might inculcate doctrines they abhorred. A com- 
mittee or teacher might introduce a book containing doctrines 
in morals or religion they disapproved of. Books attacking a 
sect or a political party might be used. Books on natural his- 
tory, chemistry, geology, phrenology, and especially oti histo- 
ry, might contain objectionable doctrines. On this ground, a 
religious parent would have a right to object to any book con- 
taining a doctrine he considered irreligious. He might not, 
perhaps, be able to secure its exclusion from school. This 
would depend upon the good sense of the teacher or commit- 
tee ; but he could, at least, insist upon it as a constitutional 
and legal, as well as moral right, that his own children should 
not be obliged to read such a book, nor even to listen to it. 



29 

However desirous we may be that the education in the pub- 
lic schools should be religious and christian, and agreeing as 
we all do in its importance, I do not see how upon legal 
grounds we can take any other course. The school is an in- 
stitution established by the civil law, its officers, trustees, com- 
mittees, and teacher, derive their authority from the civil law ; 
it is supported by funds raised by law. And the statute law 
itself could not give any right to introduce public religious ex- 
ercises into schools (upon any other ground than general con- 
sent,) without contravening the constitution which is the su- 
preme law. 

Although it is a repetition of what has already been said, I 
will again state in conclusion the principles upon which 1 con- 
sider that all these cases should be decided, viz : that all pub- 
lic religious exercises, by which I mean prayer and the reading 
of the Bible, or any religious book, by the teacher and the 
whole school, the school being required to listen to it, can 
only be had by general consent. And it does not remove the 
difficulty to authorise a scholar who has conscientious objec- 
tions, to leave the school room while the exercises are proceed- 
ing. For school purposes, the house is his house, as much as 
his private dwelling house, and he has a right to be there. 

But if objection be made, which would seldom be the case 
if a teacher manages properly, then the Bible or any religious 
book may be used in classes, like any other book, by those 
whose parents do not object to it. 

If any other grounds than these can be supported at the 
present day, it would imply a most wonderful change in the 
feelings of the people of this State. We should need to re- 
print and restudy the noble works of John Milton, Jeremy 
Taylor, and John Locke in defence of religious freedom, to 
bring us back again to the doctrines avowed by our ancestors 
when they first settled this colony. The total seperation of 
religious and civil affairs was with them their cardinal prin- 
ciple. 

The first settlers of Providence established this principle in 
their very first act : 

'' We, whose names are hereunder, desirous to inhabit the 
town of Providence, do promise to subject ourselves, in active 
and passive obedience, to all such orders or agreements as shall 
be made for public good of the body, in an orderly icay, by 
the major assent of the present inhabitants, masters of fami- 
lies, incorporated together into a town-fellowship, and such as 
they shall admit unto them, onlij in civil thitigs.'"' 



30 

And in 1647, the Code of Laws then enacted by the Gen- 
eral Assembly, after prescribing rnnishment for the ordinary 
crimes against society, concludes with this noble declaration: 

" These are the laws that concern all men, and these are 
the penalties for the transgression thereof, which by common 
consent, are ratified and established thronghont the whole col- 
ony : and otherwise than thns what is herein forbidden, all 
men may walk as their consciences persuade them, every one 
ni the name of his God : and let the saints of the Most High 
walk in this colony without molestation, in the name of Je- 
hovah their God forever and ever." 

And when in 1663, they obtained the charter from England, 
they declared their object to be " to hold forth a lively experi- 
ment, that a most flourishing civil state may stand and best be 
maintained * * * with a full liberty in religious concern- 
ments." 

And lastly, the act relative to Religious Freedom which was 
omitted from our Statute Book when its substance was incor- 
porated into the present Constitution, lays down the principles 
ot religious freedom which actuated the founders of the State, 
and which should continue to actuate their posterity, so clearly 
and forcibly that it cannot too often be spread before the peo- 
ple, and especially the youth of our State. 

" Whereas Almighty God hath created the mind free ; that 
all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or bur- 
thens, or by civil incapacitations, tend only to beget habits of 
hypocrisy and meanness, and are a departure from the plan of 
the holy author of our religion, who being Lord both of body 
and mind, yet chose not to propagate it by coercions on either, 
as was in his almighty power to do ; that the presumption of 
legislators and rulers, civil as well as ecclesiastical, who being 
themselves but fallible and uninspired men, have assumed do- 
minion over the faith of others, setting up their own opinions 
and modes of thinking as the only true and infallible, and as 
such endeavoring to impose them on others, hath established 
and maintained false religions over the greatest part of the 
world, and through all time ; that to compel a man to furnish 
contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which 
he disbelieves, is sinful and tyrannical; that even the forcing 
him to support this or that teacher, of his own religious per- 
suasion, is depriving him of the comfortable liberty of giving 
his contributions to the particular pastor whose morals he 
would make his pattern, and whose powers he feels most per- 
suasive to righteousness, and is withdrawing from the ministry 



31 

those temporary rewards, which, proceeding from an approba- 
tion of their pereonal conduct, are an additional incitement to 
earnest and unremitting labors for the instruction of mankind ; 
that onr civil rights have no dependence on our religious opin- 
ions ; that therefore the proscribing any citizen as unworthy 
the public confidence, by la3ring upon him an incapacity of 
being called to offices of trust and emolument, unless he pro- 
fess or renounce this or that religious opinion, is depriving him 
injuriously of those privileges and advantages to which in 
common with his fellow-citizens he has a natural right ; that 
it tends only to corrupt the principles of that religion it is 
meant to encourage, by brihing, with a monopoly of worldly 
honors and emoluments, those who will externally profess and 
conform to it; that though indeed those are criminal who do 
not withstand such temptation, yet neither are those innocent 
who lay the bait in their way ; that to suffer the civil magis- 
trate to intrude his powers into the field of opinion, and to re- 
strain the profession or propagation of principles on supposition 
of their ill tendency, is a dangerous fallacy, which at once de- 
stroys all religious liberty, because he, being of course judge 
of that tendency, will make his opinions the rule of judgment, 
and approve or condemn the sentiments of others only as they 
shall square with or differ from his own ; that it is time enough, 
for the rightful purposes of civil government, for its officers to 
interfere when principles break out into overt acts against 
peace and good order ; and, finally, that truth is great, and will 
prevail if left to herself; that she is the proper and sufficient 
antagonist to error, and lias nothing to fear from the conflict, 
unless by huiuan interposition disarmed of her natural weap- 
ons, free argument and debate : errors ceasing to be dangerous 
when it is permitted freely to contradict them: 

And whereas a principal object of our venerable ancestors, 
in their migration to this country, and settlement of this State, 
was, as they expressed it, to hold forth a lively experiment, that 
a most flourishing civil state may stand, and best be main- 
tained, with a full liberty in religious concernments: 

Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly, and by 
the authority thereof it is enacted, That no man shall be com- 
pelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place or 
ministry whatsoever ; nor shall be enforced, restrained, mo- 
lested or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise 
suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief ; but that 



32 

all men shall be free to profess, and hy argument to maintain^ 
their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall 
in no wise diminish, enlarge or affect their civil capacities. 

The foregoing is respectfully submitted, by 

E. R. POTTER, 
Commissioner of Public Schools. 
Kingston, R. L, October 30, 1854. 



NOTE— 
See further the Preface to Appendix No. 5. 

There are several modes besides those I have mentioned, in which religion may- 
be taught in connection with the schools, and which are more fully described in 
the Appendix. One is the wav which is to a great extent pursued in England, where 
the government grants aid to schools of all denominations who comply with the re- 
quired conditions. But such a system can hardly be called a public scliool system. 

Another mode is the one adopted in many countries on the continent of Europe, 
where a certain time is set apart in the schools for religions instnwtion, and the clergy 
of the different churches then attend and instruct those who belong to their o%vn 
persuasion. This plan would not be practicable in a large portion of our country. 



APPENDIX No. I. 



Table No. 1, accompanying the Report of the Commissioner of 
Public Schools. 



^ C O OO O OOOOOOOOO O O — iOO-"00 oo 

^m a o oo o ooooooooooocoooc^oo oo 

frtSf*> O oo O OOOOOOOOO— 'OOOOO— 'O CO 
»r„ O OO O OOOOOCiOOO'^O-rOOOCWO oo 
■g5.S O) lOCi «0 COCMOCVfrt ^ol^rtrHrtCMOClrtrt C-Cl 

^ -3 -r ^~ ^-- 




o 

Q 

04 


o S 

"a 


CI 00 

O -3< 

CO o 
CM Of 


00 


o 

s 
a 


03000 OjOJ-^OOi-OI-OOt-OJOOOOCOOJOOJOO-JCOTH-^OOCi-" 
COOO 05COOI>OOOOOCOOOOCMCOO'3<OOOOCOOC001r~>-'5CiOO 

— It-t^ e»— l3:OJrOOGOCOOCiOC^OOOO— lOOOOCSr-iLOOO— 'C-Ot^ 

OOO QOc:20Jri<-oooi:-i>t-(»o>oi.ooocricoc-t^oor-xb-*o 

O__:0 C5_ I>_C3_C-;_00_O^0J^C5_T!_O .-<_00^lO CO '•'^„'-'v'~'„'~'„'~;>^ "^ "^^"^ 1> O CO c^ o 

-i*"o i>" cfoTr-r.— "r-T— ro"T-r .^".-r oToT cj"rt"r-r,-r co'.-r u^Tt-t 

CO 


CI 

i 

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is 

EH " 


— iooOt^-*wo>ooor~or--r~ooQO-fc-J-t<cor->-0 0coo-)<o-t"0-f 

Tl<0'0 00'rHcoCOQOOOOO^i-OCOC3 00J0001CJ'*OCOOC201^0caQO 

^t-t;o!r~— l^^CiC^o^-co•o-^<oc^ooQOor3.-lO-^^oooQOC500'or^ 
— i'-0"-Ooococi— icooo.^cir-cor^oo>o-*oooo-ri^coc~(i--ir^C3r;oo 

00 CO__~__00__— ^C2 O ;r:_^C^O)^r-( OJ 35 ^^X O CO r-^00 'w_01 W -O 00 1>,I> 1> O 00 CO X) 
^'"o'"t>'~CO~Co'"orC<~^'~'-r.-'''l>".-H"' ^"rn" CiC-Tc^^^'T^ co^ loof 


00 

CO 

OJ 

g 

oo" 


sic 


347 15 
61 38 

196 46 
47 09 

192 23 

11 70 
2 00 

319 26 

79 81 
37 29 

516 11 
59 23 

102 62 

385 19 
160 22 

189 45 
24 49 
32 95 


o 
w" 


o 



!> 

1-1 

(>; 
o 


III 


402 38 

631 24 

20 00 
927 30 

216 72 
6 00 

617 94 


00 

o 

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of 


II 


oocjQOor-^ ooor~r-ooooi>ooc3500ooo ooJ o o -f co 
^oooooTt oooooT-irtoortOocoooooooot^as^ 

OO-tOCOl-OOiO •^0(M0010000COCOO!OCi'*-*Or-io)OTt<0.-l 
OOt^^Ori'OO OSrti><aOI>rHr~Ir~OCOC3iT-lrtOOC5000as«Of-l 
l> CO CO CO i-l (M T-l CO .-1 W -^ ,-H CM rt T-H C» O CO .-H 


00 

to 


3 
n 

1 


o oc^o oor--oooo^t^r^or~o o ooo 
.-H o CO o t^ CO 'H >o o o T-H — I o o i> o o ooo 

•^ CJCJco t^coc~-coooC')i.om-T<^o oo oooo 

CO rtOlO COCi-HOOT*r-QOOOCiO (^ 00^-* 
00 00 CO -^ T? .-1 (N^,-l O! C~ 1> -^ O O l> .-1 l^ CJ 


CD 

S3 

o~ 


i 


OOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOOOOO— lOOCOOOOO 
COOOOOOOOr-lOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO'riOOOO 

QOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOOO-rfOOOOO— lOOOO 
CiOOOOOOO^OOOOOOOCJOOO^^O^OOOOOOOOO 

o_^>o__io o__o o_o oj r-( -at ooi d o__oj ^ .>3<cj^^cJrHOj o__cm -^ — i oj^c^cj 

CO 


o 

CO 


■is 


OOCit^-*CD.-iOO'-OCO(N»-i-^t^— IOOCiC50000-fO!00 0)0«0^0 
Ol.-IvH00t^C5O00C000(NO.^TfQ0C001O01O(MrtCJC000O00I>00C0Tj< 

CO r- CI 00 o uo c> co-O vo(M05mc}toc5i>-<fo— ic}t^ooo>o-H-^i>Tt<ocooo 

t^ 00 P- O O rH^t> CD 'd* 00 .-j,.^ --1 CO CO CO CiCOC-T^CNcO-^ t-^00 O CO 0_^0 i-H 
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Cumberland, 

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Newport, 

Portsmouth, 

Middletown, 

Tiverton, 

Little Compton, 

New Shoreham, 

Jamestown, 

South Kingstown, 

Westerly, 

North Kingstown, 

Exeter, 

Charlesto^vn, 

Hopkinton, 

Richmond, 

Warwick, 

Coventry, 

East Greenwich, 

West Greenwich, 

Bristol, 

Warren, 

Barrington, 





34 

Table No. 2, accompanying the Report of the Commissioner of 
Public Schools. 





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New Shoreham, 

Jamestown, 

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Exeter, 

Chai-lestown, 

Hopkinton, 

Richmond, 

Warwick, 

Coventry, 

East Greenwich, 

West Greenwich, 

Bristol, 

Warren, 

Barrington, 





35 



Table No. 3, accompanying the Report of the Commissioner of 
Public Schools. 



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36 



APPENDIX No. II 



LAWS PASSED SINCE JUNE, A. D., 1851. 



An Act to limit the hours of labor and to regulate the employment 

of children m factories. — Passed January, 1853. 
It is enacted hy the General Assembly as follows : 

Section 1. From and after the first day of July next, labor per- 
formed in any manufacturing establishment and all mechanical labor, 
during the period of ten hours, in any one day, shall be considered 
a legal day's work, unless otherwise agreed by the parties, and no 
minor, under the age of twelve years shall be employed in or about 
any manufacturing establishment; provided, that the provisions of 
this section concerning the hours of labor, shall not apply to persons 
employed solely in packing goods in any warehouse or part of a fac- 
tory not used for any manufacturing process or for any labor incident 
to a manufacturing process. 

Sec. 2. If any owner of, or employer in, any manufacturing es- 
tablishment, or his or her agent, shall knowingly and wilfully employ 
any minor under the age of twelve years as cforesaid, the person so 
offending, shall pay a penalty of twenty dollars for every such offence, 
one half thereof shall enure to the complainant and the other half 
thereof to and for the use of the district school in the district in 
which such manufacturing establishment is situated. 

Sec. 3. Hereafter, no minor who has attained the age of twelve 
years and is under the age of fifteen years, shall be employed in any 
manufacturing establishment more than eleven hours in any one day ; 
any owner of, or employer in any manufacturing establishment as 
aforesaid, offending against the provisions of this section, shall be 
liable to a penalty of twenty dollars for every such offence, and one 
half thereof shall enure to the complainant, and one half thereof to 
and for the use of the distrtct school in the district in which such 
manufacturing establishment is situated. 

Sec. 4. From and after the first day of July next, if any parent 
or guardian shall permit or consent to the employment of his or her 
child or ward under the age of twelve years, in any such manufac- 
turing establishment, or of his or her child or ward, over the age of 
twelve yeais and. under the age of fifteen, for a longer time than 
eleven hours in any one day, the person so offending shall forfeit and 
pay the sum of twenty dollars for every such offence, to be appropri- 
ated as provided in the second section of this act. 



37 

Sec. 5. If any parent or guardian shall permit or consent to the 
employment in any manufacturing establishment, of his or her child 
or ward, under the age of fifteen years, before five o'clock in the 
morning, or of his or her child or ward, under the age of filteen 
years, after seven and a half o'clock in the evening, such parent or 
guardian and the owner of, or employer in such establishment, or his 
or her agent, who shall knowingly and wilfully furnish employment 
to such minors, shall be liable to a penalty of twenty dollars for every 
such offence, — to be appropriated as provided in the third section of 
this act. 

Seq. 6. The penalties imposed by this act, shall be recovered on 
complaint and warrant, before any Justice of the Peace in the town 
where the child employed in violation of its provisions shall reside, 
or where the establishment in which employment is so furnished shall 
be located ; — and every such complaint shall be commenced within 
thirty days after the offence complained of shall have been com- 
mitted. 

Sec. 7. In the trial of all actions and complaints arising under 
the provisions of this act, the defendant shall have the same rio-ht of 
appeal to the Court of Common Pleas as is provided by law in other 
criminal cases. 



An Act in relation to the election of School Committees in Little 

Compton and Portsmouth. — Passed January, 1853. 
It is cnattrd hy the General Axscmhly as follows : 

Section 1. The qualified electors of the towns of Little Comp- 
ton and Portsmouth, may choose their school committee at the annual 
town meeting holden for election of state officers and members of 
the General Assembly, on the first Wednesday of April, instead of 
the annual town meeting for choice of town officers : and all elections 
of such officers heretofore made on the first Wednesday of April in 
nny year, are hereby confirmed. 



An Act to enlarge the powers of the School Committee. — Passed 

/ January, 1854. 

It is encatcd hy the General Assemhly as follows : 

Section 1. Any school or asylum incorporated by, or receiving 
aid from the State, either by direct grant or by exemption from tax- 
ation, shall be liable to be examined or visited by the School Com- 
mittee of the town or city in which such institution is situated, when- 
ever the committee shall see fit. 

Sec. 2. Any such institution refusing to admit such committee, 
when requested, shall forfeit the sum of one hundred dollar?, to and 
for the use of the State, to be recovered by indictment before any 
court of competent jurisdiction ; and their exemption from taxation 
shall also be deemed forfeited thereby. 
6 



38 

An Act to increase the appropriation for the support of Public 

Schools. — Passed January, 1854. 
It is enacted hy the General Assembly as foUoivs : 

Section I. The sum of fifty thousand dollars shall be hereafter 
annually paid out of the General Treasury for the support of public 
schools, at the same time, manner, and on the same conditions, as 
now provided by law. 

Sec. 2. Of said amount, the sum of thirty-five thousand dol- 
lars shall be apportioned by the Commissioner of Public Schools 
annually, among the several towns, in proportion to the number of 
children under the age of fifteen years, according to the United 
States' census then last preceding ; and the sum of fifteen thousand 
dollars shall be apportioned among the several towns in proportion 
to the nt.raber of school districts in each town, corporate or other- 
wise ; and the proportion in each town shall be paid upon the order , 
of the Commissioner in the same manner as now provided. 

Sec. 3. The proportion of the aforesaid sum of fifteen thousand 
dollars, which shall be received by any town, shall be by the School 
Committee of such town, equally divided among all the districts in 
said town, in all cases where the town is divided into school districts 
having the management of their own concerns. 

Sec. 4. The sum of five hundred dollars is hereby annually ap- 
propriated to be paid to the order of the Commissioner of Public 
Schools, to be expended in providing suitable lectures and addresses 
in the several school districts, upon the subject of education and the 
best modes of teaching and improving the schools, and the Commis- 
sioner shall annually report to the General Assembly the mode of ex- 
pending said appropriation. 

Sec. 5. The sum of one thousand dollars is hereby annually ap- 
propriated to be expended under the direction of the Commissioner 
of Public Schools, in aiding in the support of a Normal School, or 
Institution for the training and qualifying teachers for the common 
schools. Said sum shall be paid to the order of said Commissioner, 
and he shall annually report to the General Assembly the expendi- 
ture thereof. 



An Act in relation to the election of School Committee in the city 

of Providence. — Passed January, 1854. 
It is enacted hy the General Assembly as folloivs : 

Section 1. The School Committee of the city of Providence, 
shall consist o'' thirty members, to be chosen as follows: — The 
electors in each Ward, qualified to vote for General Ofliicers, shall at 
the annual election in April of each year, by a majority of the votes 
cast, elect two members, who shall hold their places for the term of 
two years thereafter. The Mayor and President of the Common 
•Council, for the time being, shall be ex-ofiicio members. The City 
Council shall elect fourteen members of said Committee to serve 
until the annual election in April, A. D. 1855, and shall be empow- 



39 

ered and required from time to time to fill all vacancies that may 
occur in said Committee. 

Sec. 2. Any provision of former acts, inconsistent herewith, is 
hereby repealed. 



An Act in amendment of an act entitled an act to limit the hours of 

labor and to regulate the employment of children in factories. — 

Passed .Tanuary, 18.54. 
It is enacted by the General Assenihhj as folloics : 

Sectioiv 1. Hereafter no minor under the age of fifteen years 
shall be employed in any manufacturing establishment in this State, 
unless such minor shall have attended school for a term of at least 
three months in the year next preceding the time when such minor 
shall be so employed. And no such minor shall be so employed for 
more than nine months in any one calendar year. 

Sec. 2 If any parent or guardian shall permit or consent to the 
employment of any minor under the age of fifteen years in any man- 
ufacturing establishment, who has not attended or shall not attend 
school as herein before provided; or if any employer or his or her 
agent shall knowingly and wilfully employ any minor under the age 
of fifteen years in any manufacturing establishment in this State who 
has not attended or shall not attend school as herein before provided, 
such parent or guardian or such owner, employer, or agent, shall be 
liable to a penalty of twenty dollars for every such offence, to be re- 
covered and appropriated as is by law provided for any violations of 
the act of which this is an amendment. 

Sec. 3. In case of the recovery of any penalty as provided under 
this act, or the act of which this is an amendment for any violation 
thereof in the city of Providence, one half of such penalty shall 
enure to the complainant and one half thereof to and for the use of 
the public schools in said city. 

Sec 4. This act shall not go into effect until the first day of 
July next. 



An Act to establish a State Normal School. — Passed May, 1854, 
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows : 

Section 1. A sum not exceeding three thousand dollars is hereby 
annually appropriated for the establishment and support of a Normal 
School for the training of teachers of common schools. Said sum 
shall be paid out of the general treasury to the order of the Commis- 
sioner of Public Schools, who shall annually report to the General 
Assembly the expenditure thereof, with the vouchers therefor. 

Sec 2. Th- fifth section of the " Act to increase the appropria- 
tion for the support of Public Schools," passed at January session, 
A. D., 1854, is hereby repealed. 



4U 

An Act in addition to an act to revise and amend the laws regulating 

public schools. — Passed June, 1854. 
It is enacted hy the General Asstmbly as follows : 

Section 1. W any person shall keep any swine, of any descrip- 
tion, in any pen or other enclosure, within one hundred I'eet ol" any 
district school house, or within fifty feet of any fence enclosing the 
yard of any such school house, he shall forfeit and pay the sum of 
twenty dollars, one half thereof to and for the use of the school dis- 
trict in which said offence is committed, and the other half thereof 
to and for the use of the State, which said penally shall be recovered 
by complaint and warrant in the name of the State, before any Jus- 
tice of the Peace or any court exercising the jurisdiction of justice 
of the peace, in the town or city where said offence is committed. 



Resolution relative to schools in Westerly. — Passed June, 1854. 
Kesolved, That the trustees of the first school district in the town 
of Westerly, be, and they are hereby authorized, to admit into the 
school of said district, pupils not residing in this State, provided 
it be done with the approbation of the school committee, and pro- 
vided further, that a tuition fee of not less than four dollars for the 
high school and two dollars for the other schools, for a term of 
eleven weeks, be charged to each scholar admitted under this reso- 
lution, and in making out the returns of scholars attending upon any 
school where there are pupils admitted, not resident of this State, 
those scholars only who are residents of this State and who attend 
upon such school, shall be included. 



An Act in relation to the salary of the Commissioner of Public 

Schools. — Passed October, 1854. 
It is enacted by the General Assembly as folloios : 

Section 1. The salary of the Commissioner of Public Schools 
shall be twelve hundred dollars per annum, payable quarterly to his 
order, out of the General Treasury. 

Sec. 3. Said Commissioner shall devote his time exclusively to 
the duties of his office. 

Sec 3. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions 
of this act are hereby repealed. 



Resolution relating to School Districts in West Greenwich. 
Passed October, 1854. 
Upon the petition of David Hopkins and others against school dis- 
tricts Nos. 3 and 11, in West Greenwich : 
Voted and resolved. That the prayer of said petitioners be, and 
the same is hereby granted, and that the boundaries of district No. 3 



41 

be and they are hereby restored as they were established before Jan- 
uary, 1854, and said school district No. 3 as established and bounded 
before said January last, shall build and erect a suitable new school 
house in said district, on the north-east corner of land of Nathan 
Carr, joining William Hall's land, or on a lot in the near neighbor- 
hood of said Carr's corner not exceeding a half of a mile south of 
said Hopkinsville Bridge, to be located by the School Commissioner, 
if not agreed upon by said district, on or before the first day of Oc- 
tober, 1855. And in the meantime, and until said new school house 
is built and erected on said lot suitable for said free school district, 
the free school in said No. 3 shall be kept and maintained in the 
school house situated on the north side of the village of Hopkinsville, 
where said school was formerly kept, and that the free money dis- 
tributed by law to said district shall be appropriated to the support of 
said free school in said house built on the north side of said district. 
After the building of said new school house on the lot at Carr's Cor- 
ner, or on said lot selected, the free school for said district shall be 
kept and maintained therein, and receive the free school money ap- 
propriated by law to District No. 3, and said school house on the 
north side of said river shall cease to receive the free money, and the 
same, after the first day of October, 1855, shall be paid for the sup- 
port of the free school in the school house at Carr's Corner. 



42 



APPENDIX No. Ill, 



DOCUMENTS EELATING TO STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. 



To His Excellency Wm. W. Hoppin. 

Sir : — Two years ago Messrs. Greene, Colburn and Sumner esta- 
blished in the city of Providence, a private institution for the training 
of school teachers for their profession, designed to give that sort 
of instruction, which would qualify them for the faithful and effi- 
cient discharge of their duties as teachers. 

After two years experience they have been obliged to abandon it. 
The reasons are apparent. Such a school requires instructors of the 
highest order of talent. A low rate of tuition will not support it, 
and a high rate of tuition would produce the same effect in a differ- 
ent way, as the greater part of the teachers would be unable to pay 
it. 

I had hoped that the institution would succeed as aprivate under- 
taking, and that the sum necessary to make up any deficiency might 
be supplied by private or legislative aid. At the last session of the 
General Assembly an appropriation was made for this purpose, but it 
has been found impracticable to continue the school in this way. 

The city of Providence will probably establish such a school for 
its own teachers, and the State might unite with the city for that pur- 
pose, but I apprehend that serious difficulties would arise from such 
a partnership, and that that plan would soon have to be given up. 

The importance of such a school is so obvious that I shall not en- 
large upon it ; and to make it most useful, it should be entirely free 
of expense for tuition, so that the poorest might receive its advan- 
tages. 

I would therefore recommend to the General Assembly through 
your Excellency, that the present appropriation should be increased 
so as to insure the accomplishment of the object. 

I would not propose that the State should make any expenditure 
for buildings, and if in a few years it should not succeed, the Legis- 
lature might at any time discontinue it; but I do not believe the 
General Assembly will have cause to regret the expenditure. 
I am very respectfully, 

Your Excellency's ob't servant, 

E. R. POTTER, 
Comm'r of Public Schools. 

Newport, May 3, 1854. 



43 

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. 
Passed May Session, A. D. 1854. 

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows ; 

Section L A sum not exceeding three thousand dollars is here- 
by annually appropriated for the establishment and support of a Nor- 
mal School for the training of teachers of common schools. Said 
sum shall be paid out of the general treasury to the order of the 
Commissioner of Public Schools, who shall annually report to the 
General Assembly the expenditure thereof, with the vouchers there- 
for. 

Sec. 2. The fifth section of the " Act to increase the appro- 
priation for the support of Public Schools," passed at January ses- 
sion, A. D. 1854, is hereby repealed. 



CIRCULAR. 
RHODE ISLAND NORMAL SCHOOL. 

The first term of the State Normal School will commence on 
Monday, May 29, 1854. It will be held at the Second Universa- 
list Church, in Providence. Dana P. Colburn, formerly of Bridge- 
water Normal School, will be Principal, assisted by Arthur Sumner, 
late one of the teachers of the Lancaster Normal School. These 
Instructors have a high reputation in their profession, and are al- 
ready well known to a large number of our teachers. 

The school will be subject to such regulations as may from time 
to time be adopted by the Commissioner of Public Schools, or other 
authority to which the care of the School may be committed by the 
Legislature. 

The School will be open to pupils of both sexes. Persons apply- 
ing for admission will be required, (if not known to the Instructors) 
to bring with them evidence of good moral character, and to sign a 
declaration that it is their intention to qualify themselves for teach- 
ing in the Public Schools of this State. To all such, the tuition will 
be free. 

Good health, unobjectionable manners, and an acquaintance with 
the elementary branches of knowledge usually taught in the Schools, 
will also be considered as requisites. If the pupil has already had 
some experience in teaching, he will derive the greater advantage 
from the Normal instruction. Any pupil offending against good 
manners, or the discipline of the School, will be dismissed by the 
Principal. 

The application for admission should be addressed to Dana P. 
Colburn, Providence, R. I. 

E. R. POTTER, 
Commissioner of Public Schools. 

Providence, May I5th, 1854. 



44 



ADDRESS: 



DELIVERED AT THE OPENIXG OF THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, 
AT PROVIDENCE, MAY 29, 1854, 

BY E. E. POTTER, C03IMISSI0NER OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 



We have met to celebrate the commencement of a State Normal 
School, and upon this occasion it seems appropriate to make a few 
remarks upon the objects and uses of such schools. 

The proper object of a State Normal School is to qualify teachers 
for the public common schools, by teaching them the best modes of 
instruction, development and discipline. 

It is to quality them for our public common schools. Hence in 
regulating the exercises of this school, while we do not overlook the 
higher schools, we must have reference chiefly to the wants of the 
common schools and to the studies pursued in them. I do not mean 
that a teacher need only be acquainted with the branches he is to 
teach : far from it : the more general knowledge he has, the better 
he will be qualified to teach well in any particular branch. 

It is to qualify them for these duties, by teaching them the best 
modes of instruction. It is not intended to teach the elements of 
any science, or to teach any science at all, except so far as reviews 
may be necessary. If we should undertake to teach the sciences, 
themselves, our school would then be degenerated into a mere ordi- 
nary academy, a very good academy it might be, but not properly a 
normal school. 

All the instruction here given must be with a special reference to 
teaching afterwards. And the State expects and has reason to ex- 
pect that all who come to partake of the advantages of this school, 
do honestly intend to become teachers in the public schools, and 
should declare that intention. 

It has been the common subject of remark for several years that 
good teachers have become scarce. 1 his is owing to several causes. 
There has been an increased demand for labor in all professions and 
modes of business. Wages in other departments have risen, and to 
get good teachers we are obliged to pay and should be willing to pay 
higher salaries than formerly. 

We cannot expect that a normal school should entirely supply the 
demand for good teachers, because while it will every year send forth 
a number prepared and qualified to teach, a large number ^vill be 
every year leaving the profession. 



45 

This is one of the difficulties we have to contend with. In the coun- 
tries of the old world, ranks and stations in life are fixed and generally 
unchangable. In whatever profession or rank a man begins life, in 
that he continues and dies. Here, such is the freedom and prosper- 
ity of our country, no man's rank or position in life is stationary. 
The world is open to every one. The teacher follows his profession 
only until he can find a pleasanter and more profitable one. And 
long may it be so. Long may it be, if ever, before society in this 
country shall sink into the stationary condition in which it exists in 
the old world. 

One good effect however, has resulted and is resulting from the 
scarcity of male teachers. Female teachers are more generally em- 
ployed. Ten years ago the number was very small, now it is very 
large. The old prejudices against their employment are dying aw. ay 
People are beginning to discover that — the education being the same 
— they make not only as good but better teachers than males, and 
thus another avenue is opened for respectable and useful employment 
for the female sex 

Again we should not look for too much from this school in another 
respect. Because our object is to make good teachers, it does not 
follow that every pupil who goes from it will necessarily make a good ' 
teacher. Some will come unprepared, and some will remain but a 
short time, and there will be some who have no tact for teaching 
or governing, who will not profit much even by a long stay here. 
Others of our pupils may fail in teaching from other causes. And it 
is well, in the commencement, that the public should be cautioned 
against unreasonable expectations, and that the school should not 
suffer in public estimation by these occasional failures. 

What then are these teachers to do when they have graduated from 
this school ? I have said that they are to be taught here modes of 
instruction, development and discipline, and this must of course be 
in reference to the wants of the common schools in which they are 
to teach. 

They are to be taught modes of instruction. It is in this branch 
perhaps that the utility of a normal school is most plainly seen, and 
to this the greater portion of the time must be devoted ; and the in- 
struction to be communicated in the common schools, and for which 
the teachers are to be prepared, has relation to the physical, the 
moral and intellectual constitution of the child. 

In the present state of our common schools, considering the age 
and attainment of the larger portion of the scholars, it is not probable 
that physiology can be made a regular study for classes in but ^ew of 
them. Yet the teacher should be acquainted with its general 
principles, and be able to impress them upon the scholars by familiar 
lectures or occasional exercises. We should take care that while 
we strengthen and cultivate the mind, we do not weaken its instru- 
ment, the body. 

Too much also cannot be said of the importance of moral instruc- 
tion. The same remark will apply here. In very few schools would 

7 



46 

it be advisable to undertake to teach morals as a science, or from 
learned treatises ; but occasions will be constantly arising when the 
teacher will have an opportunity to impress upon the children the 
oreat principles of morals ; and such lessons given upon occasions as 
they arise, will produce more lasting effect than more studied disqui- 
sitions unconnected with passing events. 'I'he teacher of course 
should be qualified to give this instruction. The conscience should 
be awakened and cultivated. Our duty to God our creator and 
father, and the somewhat unfashionable duty of obedience to parents 
should be constantly kept in mind. Our duty to our family connex- 
ions, to society, to our fellow-men in relation to veracity, property, 
character, should also be dwelt upon. 

There are some classes of our duties to others which it is very 
difficult to define, but which are most essential to the happiness of 
society, and should receive our constant attention both in school and 
cut of it — our duty to others in regard to their feelings. And it is 
in regard to this very class of duties that the moral instruction of 
both young and old, in schools and colleges and at home, is most de- 
ficient. How many men who Avould scorn to injure their neighbors 
property, will yet make sport of injuring their feelings. If they 
can excite a quarrel, prejudice one person against another ; if there 
are any subjects which they know to be peculiarly unpleasant, 
which the person addressed would like to have forgotten, anything 
calculated to produce a feeling of disgrace or of physical or intellect- 
ual inferiority, or in any way to disturb his peace of mind, they take 
delight in suggesting it, in bringing it forward to the public gaze. 
And when we reflect how much of the happiness of life is made up 
of little things, how much it depends upon attention to the feelings of 
others, we see the importance of attending to it in early education. 

And while speaking of our duties to others, let us not forget the 
subject of manners. And here let us inquire, what is the reas(;n why 
so many of our wealthy people will not send their children to our 
common schools ? We see that it is so, and that our common 
schools are sufferers by it. I cannot believe that in so doing they 
are governed by the mean disgraceful motive of keeping their child- 
ren from associating with the poor. But I believe that we have the 
real reason of it here ; they are desirous of sending their children to 
schoo's where their morals and especially their manners will be at- 
tended to, and they do not send them to common schools, because 
their manners are too generally neglected in them. If this is the 
real reason, it certainly should be deeply pondered by all who have 
at heart the welfare of our common schools. There are many dis- 
tricts, where if the wealthy would expend upon the common schools 
but a portion of the money they pay for sending their children to 
private schools, it would be blessing a whole community. The com- 
mon school would be improved, and rich and poor alike receive the 
benefit of it. 

In regard to intellectual education, we should be guarded against 
the error too common in modern schools of undertaking to teach too 



47 

m 

much at once, of overburdening the mind and memory. We are tryin{r 
to in.ike every thing easy to the ynung ; forgetting that what is easily 
learned is generally easily forgotten ; forgetting that discipline of mind 
and development of the whole character, should be the object of edu- 
cation, and not merely the quantity of information communicated. — 
Upon these principles teaching by lectures or oral instruction should 
not be much resorted to in school ; and while teachers should be 
acquainted with the science of the subject so as to make it indilTorent 
to them what books they use, books should not be dispensed with, 
but the pupils should be made to exercise their own minds in obtain- 
ing knowledge. 

I must confess that I feel a great gratification in observing the 
reaction which (judging from the educational literature of our coun- 
try, addresses, magazines, &c ) seems to be taking place against the 
systems of crowding and making knowledge easy. Such systems 
were naturally popular in the commencement of an excitement when 
it was much easier to find fault with what was old than to provide a 
better substitute. But there seems now -to be a prevailing disposition 
to go back to the older and sounder system. 

Our ideal of education, to be carried out as far as time and 
circumstances permit, should be the proper and corresponding deve- 
lopment of all the faculties of the man, the formation of the perfect 
character. While we endeavor to give the young the knowledge to 
prepare them for active life, we should also endeavor to educate 
them to habits of self government, a habit of sacrificing the w'ill to 
a sense of duty ; to make them strong to meet and resist vice 
and temptation, and not to be afraid of it; we should endeavor to 
strengthen their minds to think for themselves, and not be deterred 
by a dread that on some subject they may not think as we do; we 
should endeavor to fit them to become good members of society : we 
should instruct them in their duties as citizens of a republic : we 
should endeavor to fit them for happiness here as far as the trials of 
this world permit, and to prepare them for eternal happiness and 
progress in the world to come. 

If modes of instruction and development of character receive great 
attention, modes of school government are not to be overlooked. 
There cannot be efficient teaching without order, and how to attain 
and preserve this, is often the greatest difficulty the young teacher 
has to encounter. While we do not give up the rod, public opinion 
is against severity and justly so. To secure order therefore the 
teacher must be able to interest the pupils in their studies, to attach 
them to himself and to the school ; and the various ways of doing 
this are of the utmost importance. In ordinary schools, a large por- 
tion of the teacher's time is taken up in watching and punishinc- 
disorder. Every thing then which enables a teacher to secure order 
with less effort, either by inducing the parents to co-operate with him 
or by making the school interesting, is so much gained in economiz- 
ing time and making the instruction more thorough and efficient. 

Such are some of the modes and principles with reference to which 
a normal school should be conducted. 



48 

There have been two favorite modes of training teachers for public 
schools ; one is to watch for the teaching talent as it is shown and 
developed in ordinary schools by the monitorial system and assis- 
tants, and to train and educate these through the different grades of 
the profession. The other system is to establish seminaries, normal 
schools, such as the one whose organization we now celebrate. The 
fi.-st is the Austrian and Dutch system, the latter is the Prussian and 
French system. To the first it is objected that its tendency is to 
perpetuate old modes of instruction, to confirm errors and to retard 
ail salutary progress. And to Normal schools it has been objected, 
that the pupils educated in them, will not be likely to choose to teach 
in the common schools in the poorer districts, where the greatest 
deficiency of good teachers exists. 

We hope that this objection may never be made to the Rhode- 
Island Normal School. If the teachers come into this honorable 
and honored profession with the proper spirit, not actuated by the 
love of gain merely, but while just to themselves, desirous of doing 
good to others, of being means of improving society, and that the 
world should be somewhat better for their having been in it, it will not 
be the case. There can be no greater field for usefulness than well 
educated teachers may find in lonely and ignorant portions of coun- 
try, and we need not go to heathen lands for them. In such a place, 
the educated teacher using his advantages not for display which 
would excite envy and jealousy, but for practical utility, may become 
a centre of enlightenment to a neighborhood. As years advance and 
his pupils grow up to take their places in society, his influence ex- 
tends. They look upon him with respect for the good he has done 
them. In no situation can one man exert more influence in mould- 
ing the character and destiny of a community. 

And I would have the pupils who attend the first session of this 
pchool, feel especially that a heavy responsibility rests upon them. 
This school will be judged by its fruits. The State has provided 
able instructors. These instructors must exert themselves in order 
to meet the high expectations which have been raised by what they 
have already done. If you on your part make a good use of the 
opportunities you have for improvement, and the people see and feel 
the benefits resulting from your attendence here, you will place the 
school on a foundation which cannot be shaken. I am confident 
that it will be so, and that we shall hereafter look back to the 
occasion of our meeting here to-day as constituting an era in our 
educational history. 



49 
RHODE-ISLAND STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, 

PROVIDENCE, R. I. 

The second term of the State Normal School will commence on 
Monday, September 11th, 1854. 

This School is designed exclusively as a professional one, for the 
training of teachers of both sexes for the Public Schools of the State ; 
and all its exercises will have special reference to the life, duties and 
qualifications, of a Public School Teacher. 

Candidates for admission should be present on the first day of the 
term. They will be required to present to the Principal a certificate 
of good moral character ; to undergo an examination m Reading, 
Writing, and Spelling, and in the elements of Geography, Arithme- 
tic, and Grammar; and, if admitted to the School, to sign a declar- 
ation that they intend to qualify themselves for Teachers in the Pub- 
lic Schools of Rhode-Island. To all such, the tuition will be free. 

Applications for admission should be addressed to 

DANA P COLBURN, 
Principal of JR. I. State Normal School. 

Providence, August 1, 1854. 



COPY OF AGKEEMENT CONCERNING THE NORMAL 
SCHOOL ROOMS. 

Memorandum of an agreement between the Second Universalist 
Society, in the city of Providence, in the State of Rhode-Island, and 
its Trustees on the one part, and Elisha R. Potter, of South Kings- 
town, Commissioner of Public Schools, of said State, in behalf of 
said State, and for the use of the Normal School established under 
the act of the Legislature of said State passed May session, 1854, on 
the other part. 

The said Trustees and Society agree to lease to the Commissioner 
of Public Schools, and his successors in said office, or such person 
or persons as may from time to time be charged by the Legislature 
with the oversight of the Normal School aforesaid, the Hall hereto- 
fore used by the Normal School, and the two rooms on the right of 
the entry, with the privies and all necessary rights of passing and re- 
passing, for the purpose of keeping said Normal School, for the term 
of five years, commencing April 1st, A. D. 1854, and ending March 
JUst, A. D. 1859 ; the State or its agents paying therefor rent at the 
rate of seven hundred and fifty dollars per annum, to be paid quar- 
terl)^ And the said Society agrees to be at the whole expense of 
taking care of, and heating said rooms, and to provide fuel and aper^ 
son to take charge of the same, and to see to their being comfortably 
warmed as the weather may demand. And the society reserves iht 



50 

right to use said rooms for their Sunday school or other meetings 
when not needed for the Normal School. And if the rent should re- 
main unpaid for the space of sixty days after the expiration of a 
quarter, the society may terminate this lease, notifying the other par- 
ty thereof. And either party shall have a right to terminate this lease 
at any time, giving six months notice thereof, and the State shall not 
then be held liable to pay any rent after the expiration of said six 
months. The State is to furnish all the necessary tables, seats for 
scholars and other furniture (excepting the seats in the hall now 
used by the society, and which are to remain there,) and to have the 
right to withdraw them at the end of the lease. 

In witness whereof the said Society and Trustees by Rev, T. D. 
Cooke, their agent and attorney for that purpose, and the said Eiisha 
R. Potter, Commissioner as aforesaid, have hereto set their seals this 
]5th day of July, A. D. 18o4. 

Second Universalist Society, by 

T. D. COOKE, 
E. R. POTTER, 
Commissioner of Public Schools, 
Executed in presence of "i 

Ray Spink, I 

John Gardner, j 




51 



APPENDIX No. IV. 



A Bill to establish a Board of Education. Introduced at October 

session, A. D. 1854, and now pending before the Legislature. 
It is enacted hy the General Assembly as folloivs : 

Section 1. The Governor shall nominate, and, by and with the 
advice and consent of the Senate appoint, eight persons, who, with 
the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Commissioner of Public 
Schools for the time being, shall constitute a Board of Education. 

Sec. 2. At the first meeting of said Board, the term of (office of 
the members appointed shall be decided by lot as follows : The term 
of the two whose names shall be first drawn shall expire on the first 
Tuesday of May next; of the two next drawn, on the first Tuesday 
of May, A. D. 1856; of the two next drawn, on the first Tuesday of 
May, A. D. 1857: of the other two, on the first Tuesday of May, 
A. D. 1858. Vacancies shall be filled in the manner provided for 
the original appointment, and any person appointed to fill a vacancy, 
shall hold the office for the term of four years, or in case of vacancies 
from death, resignation or removal, for the remainder of the term for 
which he is appointed. The members of said Board shall receive no 
compensation, but they shall present to the General Assembly an ac- 
count of their actual expenses, which shall be allowed by the General 
Assembly. 

Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of said Board of Education to meet 
at least times a year, and oftener as they may deem necessary ; 

to exercise an oversight over the Normal School established by this 
State, and over the public schools; to use their best endeavors to im- 
prove the schools, and to secure to the whole people the blessings of 
a sound education ; and from time to time to recommend to the Gen- 
eral Assembly such measures as they may deem best suited to pro- 
mote these objects. 



APPENDIX No 



RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS. 

Under this head we wish to give an account of the various modes 
which have been adopted in other countries, in order to meet this 
most embarrassing question ; and also the opinions of various distin- 
guished writers upon the subject. We have selected from all denom- 
inations, and from writers on both sides of the question. 



RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN EUROPE. 

Most of the extracts on this part of the subject, are from Mr. Bar- 
nard's " National Education in Europe," just published, which will 
be found a complete storehouse of information upon every thing re- 
lating to that subject. 

PRUSSIA AND GERMANY. 

The following is from Horace Mann's Report : 

BIBLE HISTORY AND BIBLE KNOWLEDGE. 

Nothing receives more attention in the Prussian schools than the 
Bible. It is taken up early and studied systematically. The great 
events recorded in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament ; 
the character and lives of those wonderful men, who, from age to age, 
were brought upon the stage of action, and through whose agency the 
future history and destiny of the race were to be so much modified ; 
and especially, those sublime views of duty and of morality which are 
brought to light in the Gospel, these are topics of daily and earnest 
inculcation, in every school. To these, in some schools, is added the 
history of the Christian religion, in connection with cotemporary 
civil history. So far as the Bible lessons are concerned, I can ratify 
the strong statements made by Professor Stowe, in regard to the 
absence of sectarian instruction, or endeavors at proselytism. The 
teacher being amply possessed of a knowledge of the whole chain of 
events, and of all biographical incidents ; and bringing to the exercise 
a heart glowing with love to man, and with devotion to his duty as a 
former of the character of children, has no necessity or occasion to 



53 

fall back upon the formulas of a creed. It is when a teacher has no 
knowledge of the wonderful works of God, and of the benevolence of 
the design in which they were created ; when he has qo power of ex- 
plaining and applying the beautiful incidents in the lives of prophets 
and apostles, and especially, the perfect example which is given to 
men in the life of Jesus Christ ; it is then, that, in attempting to 
give religious instruction, he is, as it were, constrained to recur again 
and again to the few words or sentences of his form of faith, what- 
ever that faith may be ; and, therefore, when giving the second lesson, 
it will be little more than a repetition of the first, and the two-hun- 
dredth lesson, at the end of the year, will difi"er from that at the be- 
ginning only in accumulated wearisomeness and monotony. 

There are one or two facts, however, which Professor Stowe has 
omitted to mention, and without a knowledge of which, one would 
form very erroneous ideas respecting the character of some of the re- 
ligious instruction in the Prussian schools. In all the Protestant 
schools, Luther's Catechism is regularly taught ; and in all the Ro- 
man Catholic schoolsj the Catechism of that communion. When the 
schools are mixed, they have combined literary with separate religious 
instruction ; and here all the doctrines of the respective denomina- 
tions are taught early and most assiduously. I well remember hearing 
a Roman Catholic priest inculcating upon a class of very young chil- 
dren the doctrine of transubstantiation. He illustrated it with the 
miracle of the water changed to wine, at the marriage feast in Cana ; 
and said that he who could turn water into wine, could turn his own 
blood into the same element, and also his body into bread to be eaten 
with it. Contrary, then, to the principles of our own law, sectarian- 
ism is taught in all the Prussian schools ; but it is nevertheless true, 
as Professor Stowe says, that the Bible can be taught, and is taught, 
without it. 

The following is from " Social condition and education of the peo- 
ple in England and Europe," by Joseph Kay, of Trinity College 
Cambridge. 

In Bavaria, Wirtemburg, the Duchy of Baden, and Nassau, as much 
and in Wirtemburg and Baden perhaps even more, has been done to 
promote the intelligence, morality, and civilization of the lower orders 
of society, than in Prussia. In each of these countries, every village 
has a good school-house, and at least one learned and practically effi- 
cient teacher, who has been educated for several years at a college ; 
every town has several well-organized schools, sufficiently large to re- 
ceive all the children of the town, who are between the ages of six and 
fourteen ; each of these schools contains from four to ten class-rooms, 
and each class-room is under the direction of a highly educated teacher. 

In each of these countries, every parent is obliged to educate his 
children, either at home or at some school, the choice of means being 
left to himself In none of these countries are children left to grow 
up in vicious ignorance or with debasing habits. 

In none of these countries, is there any class of children analogous 



54 

to that, whicli swarms in the back streets, alleys, and gutters of our 
great cities aud towns, and from which our paupers, our disaffected, 
and our criminals grow up, and from which our - ragged schools" are 
filled. All the children are intelligent, polite, clean, and neatly dress- 
ed, and grow up from their sixth to their fourteenth year under the 
teaching and iuHuence of educated men. 

In each of these countries a sufficient number of normal colleges 
has been founded, to enable it to educate a sufficient supply of teach- 
ers for the parishes and towns. 

In each of these countries, all the schools of every sect and party, 
private as well as public, are open to public inspection, and are visited 
several times every year by learned men, whose business it is to ex- 
amiue both teachers and scholars, and to give the government, the 
chambers, and the country, a full and detailed account of the state, 
condition, character, and progress of every school, so that parents 
may know where to send their children with safety ; that good teach- 
ers may be encouraged, rewarded, and promoted ; and that unworthy 
teachers may not be suffered to continue long in their situations. 

In each of these countries, the laws prohibit any person being a 
teacher of any school, until he has proved his efficiency to the com- 
mittee of professors, appointed by the State to examine candidates, 
and until he has laid before such committee testimonials of character 
from his religious minister, his neighbors, and the professors of the 
college at which he was educated. 

I can give a traveler, who is desirous of comprehending at one short 
view the workings of the German and Swiss systems of popular edu- 
cation, no better advice thsju to direct him to notice the state of the 
streets in any German or Swiss town, which he happens to visit ; no 
matter where it be, whether on the plains of Prussia or Bavaria, on 
the banks of the Rhine, in the small towns of the Black Forest or 
in the mountainous cantons of Alpine Switzerland, no matter where, 
let him only walk through the streets of such a town in the morning 
or the afternoon, and count the number of children to be found 
there above the age of four or five, or let him stand in the same 
streets, when the children are going to or returning from the schools, 
aud let him examine their cleanly appearance, the good quality, the 
excellent condition, and the cleanliness of their clothing, the condi- 
tion of the lesson books they are carrying, the happiness and cheer- 
fulness, and, at the same time, the politeness and ease of their man- 
ners: he will think he sees the children of the rich; but let him 
follow them home, and he will find that many of them are the off- 
spring of the poorest artizans and laborers ot the town. If that one 
spectacle does not convince him of the magnitude of the educational 
efforts of Germany, and of the happy results which they are produc- 
ing, let him go no further, for nothing he can further see will teach 
him. Let him then come home, and rejoice in the condition of our 
poor ; but, should he start at this extraordinary spectacle, as I have 
seen English travelers do. to whom I have pointed out this sign of 
advauced and advancing civilization, let Lim reflect, that this has b^en 
effected, spite of all the obstacles which impede ourselves. Bigotry 



65 

and ignorance have cried tlieir loudest ; Ilomanists have refused co- 
operatiou with Protestants, Protestants with Ilomanists, and yet they 
have CO operated. Tliere has been the same strong jealousy of all 
government interference, the same undefined and ill-digested love of 
liberty, and there has been the same selfish fear of retarding the de- 
velopment of physical resources. In Bavaria, the war has been waged 
between Romanists and Protestants ; in Argovie, opposition has been 
raised by the manufacturers ; in Lucerne, by the religious parties, 
and by the political opponents of the government ; and in Baden, the 
difficulties have been aggravated by the numbers of Jews, whom both 
Romanists and Protestants hated to receive into alliance, even more 
than they disliked to co-operate among themselves. Bat in all these 
countries the great principle has finally triumphed ; and all parties 
have yielded some little of their claims, in the full conviction, that a 
day is dawning upon Europe, fraught with the most overwhelming 
evils for that country which has not prepared for its approach. 

Whether the methods by which anj'- of these- different countries 
are carrying out their great design, are in any way applicable to this 
country or not, I shall not stop to consider, my desire being merely 
to show how different countries, with different degrees of political 
freedom, with different political constitutions, whose people profess 
different religious teuets, where Protestants of different sects, Roman 
Catholics, and Jews, are mingled up in every kind of proportion, 
have all managed to overcome difficulties precisely similar to those 
which stand in our way, and have all agreed to labor together to ed- 
ucate their poor. For it is a great fact, however much we may be 
inclined to doubt it, that throughout Prussia, Saxony, Bavaria, Bohe- 
mia, Wirtemburg, Baden, Hesse Darmstadt, Hesse Cassel, Gotha, 
Nassau, Hanover, Denmark, Switzerland, Norway, and the Austrian 
Empire, all the children are actually, at this present time, attending 
school, and are receiving a careful, religious, moral, and intellectual 
education, from highly educated and efficient teachers. Over the vast 
tract of country, which I have mentioned, as well as in Holland, and 
the greater part of France, all the children above sis years of age 
are daily acquiring useful knowledge and good habits under the in- 
jluence of mural, religious, and learned teachers. All the youth of 
the greater part of these countries, below the age of twenty-one years, 
can read, write, and cipher, and know the Bible history, and the his- 
tory of their own counti'y. No children are left idle and dirty in the 
streets of the towns ; there is no class of children to be compared, in 
any respect, to the children who frequent our " ragged schools ;" all 
the children, even of the poorest parents, ai-e, in a great part of these 
countries, in dress, appearance, cleanliness, and manners, as polished 
and civilized as the children of our middle classes ; the children of 
the poor in Germany are so civilized that the rich often send their 
children to the schools intended for the poor ; and. lastly, in a great 
part of Germany and Switzi^rland, the children of the poor are receiv- 
ing a better education tluan that given in England to the children of 
the greater part of our middle classes ! These facts deserve to be 
well considered, 



56 

And let it be remembered that these great results have been at- 
tained, notwithstanding obstacles at hast as great as those which make 
it so difficult for us to act. Are they religious differences which hin- 
der us? Look at Austria, Bavaria, and the Prussian Rhine provin- 
ces, and the Swiss cantons of Lucerne and Soleure. Will one say, 
that the religious difficulties in those countries are less than those 
which exist in our own ? Is the sectarianism of the Jesuits of Lu- 
cerne, or of the priests of Bavaria, of a more yielding character to- 
ward the Protestant " heretics," than that of one Protestant party in 
England toward another? And yet, in each of these countries the 
difficulties arising from religious diiferences have been overcome and 
all their children are brought under the influence of a religious edu- 
cation, without any religious party having been offended. But are 
they political causes, which prevent us proceeding in this great work, 
in which nearly all Europe has so long preceded us notwithstanding 
that we need it more than all the European nations put together ? 
Are they political causes, I ask ? I answer by referrihg my readers 
to the countries I have enumerated. Under the democratic govern- 
ments of the Swiss cantons, where it is the people who rule and legis- 
late ; under the constitutional governments of Saxony, Wirtemburg, 
and Baden, which were framed more or less upon the English model, 
and where the people have long had a direct influence upon the gov- 
ernment ; under the constitutional governments of France and Hol- 
land, and under all the different grades of absolute rule which existed 
but a few months since in Prussia, the German dukedoms, and the 
Austrian states, the difficulties of the question have long been over- 
come, and with such entire satisfaction to all parties, that among the 
present representatives of the people, no member has ever been heard 
to express a desire for the change of the laws which relate to primary 
education. 

But once again ; perhaps there are some who say, but there is no 
country which is troubled, as we are, by the union of both religious 
and political difficulties. I again refer my readers to the cases of 
Holland and Switzerland. They will find in these countries the same 
strong love of independence of action, which we boast so proudly and 
so justly. They will find also, not only strong religious feuds exist- 
ing among the Protestants themselves, and pushed to the most shame- 
ful extremities, as in the case of the canton of Vaud, from which one 
religious party has lately been driven as exiles, but they will find the 
still more formidable differences of the Protestants and Catholics ar- 
rayed against each other, and seemingly preventing all union on any 
subject whatsoever ; and yet, in fJl these various countries, differing 
as they do in the state of their religious parties, and of their political 
regulations, in all of them, I say, have all parties consented to join 
on this one great and important question, the education of the 

PEOPLE. 

But there are some who say, that if our means of direct education 
are worse, yet that our means of indirect education are better than 
those of other countries, and that if our people have not schools and 
good teachers, they have long had a free press, the right of assembling 



57 

together for political discussioB, plenty of cheap and very liberal 
journals, good reports of all the debates of our Houses of Legislature. 
and a literature free in its spirit, suggestive in its writings, and any 
thing but one-sided in its views of political and social questions, and 
that all this serves to stimulate the intellectual energies of the peo- 
ple. As far as regards the middle classes, this is all very true ; but, 
as regards the poor, it is ridiculously false. Most of our poor are 
eith^- wholly without education, or else possess so little as to be en- 
tirely out of the sphere of such influences, as those I have enumerated. 
What good can one of our boorish peasants gain from cheap literature, 
free parliamentary debates, free discussion, and liberal journals 1 
What advantage is it to a starving man that there is bread in the 
baker's shop, if he has not wherewith to buy? What good is cheap litera- 
ture and free discussion to a poor peasant who can neither read nor 
think ? He starves in the midst of plenty, and starves too with a 
curse upon his lips. 

From the shores of the Baltic and the North Sea to the foot of 
the great Alpine range, and from the Khiue to the Danube, all 
the children of both rich and poor are receiving daily instruction, 
under the surveillance of their religious ministers, from long and most 
carefully educated teachers. Throughout the plains of Prussia, Bo- 
hemia, and Bavaria, among the hille and woods of Saxony and central 
Germany, in the forests and rich undulating lands of Wirtemburg and 
Baden, in the deep and secluded Alpine valleys of Switzerland and 
the Tyrol; in most of the provinces of the Austrian empire, through- 
out Holland. Denmark, and almost the whole of France, and even in 
the plains of Italian Lombardy, there is scarcely a single parish, which 
does not possess its school house and its one or two teachers. The 
school buildings are often built in really an extravagant manner ; and 
in Switzerland and South Germany, the village school is generally the 
finest erection of the neighborhood. In the towns the expenditure on 
these monuments of a nation's progress is still more remarkable — 
Here the municipal authorities generally'^prefer to unite several 
schools for the sake of forming one complete one. This is generally 
erected on the following plan : A large house is built of three or four 
stories in height, with commodious play yards behind. The one or 
two upper stories are used as apartments for the teachers ; the lower 
rooms are set apart for the difi'erent classes. A town school has gen- 
erally from eight to ten^ and sometimes twelve or fourteen, of these 
class-rooms, each of which is capable of containing from 80 to 100 
children. An educated teacher is appointed to manage each class, so 
that there is generally a staff of at least eight teachers connected with 
each town school of Germany, and I have seen schools with as many 
as twelve and fourteen teachers. The rooms are filled with desks, 
maps, and all the apparatus which the teachers can require for the 
purposes of instruction. I generally noticed, on entering a small 
German or Swiss town, that next to the church, the finest building 
was the one set apart for the education of the children. 

It is impossible to estimate the enormous outlay which Germany 
has devoted to the erection and improvement of school-houses alone 



58 

during the last fifteen years. In the towns, hardly any of the old and 
inefficient buildings now remain, except where thej' have been im- 
proved and enlarged. In Munich, I directed ray conductor to lead 
me to the worst school buildings in the city, and I found all the class- 
rooms measuring fourteen feet high by about twenty-five square, and 
ten of such class-rooms in each school-house, each of which rooms was 
under the constant direction of an educated teacher. In whatever 
town I happened to be staying. I always sought out the worst, in pre- 
ference to the best schools. In Berlin, the worst that I could find 
contained four class-rooms, each eight feet in height, and about fifteen 
feet square ; and in the Grriind Duchy of Baden I found that the 
Chambers had passed a law prohibiting any school-house being built, 
the rooms of which were not fourteen feet high. 

Throughout G-ermany no expense seems to have been spared to im- 
prove the materials of popular instruction. 

Disputes about separate or mixed schools are xmheard of in Prussia, 
because every parish is left to please itself which kind it will adopt. 
One of the leading Pioman Catholic Counsellors of the Educational 
Bureau in Berlin assured me, that they never experienced any difii- 
culty on this point. •' We always,'' he said, " encourage separate 
schools when possible, as we think religious instruction can be promo- 
ted better in separate than in mixed schools ; but, of course, we all 
think it better to have mixed schools, than to have no schools at all; 
and when we can not have separate schools we are rejoiced to see the 
religious sects uniting in the support of a mixed one When mixed 
schools are decided on by the parochial committees, the teacher is 
elected by the most numerous of the two sects ; or, if two teachers 
are required, one is elected by one sect, and the other by the other,; 
and in this case each conducts the religious education of the children 
of his own sect. But when only one teacher is elected, the children 
of those parents, who difler from him in religious belief, are permitted 
to be taken from the school during the religious lessons, on condition 
that their parents make "rangements for their religious instruction 
by their own ministers." 

I went to Prussia with the firm expectation, that I should hear 
nothing but complaints from the peasants, and that I should find the 
school nothing but a worthy offshoot of an absolute government. To 
test whether this really was the case or not, as well as to see some- 
thing of the actual working of the system in the country districts, I 
traveled alone through diiferent parts of the Rhine provinces for four 
weeks before proceeding to the capital. During the whole of my soli- 
tary rambles, I put myself as much as possible into communication 
with the peasants and with the teachers, for the purpose of testing 
the actual state of feeling on this question. Judge, then, of my sur- 
prise, when I assure my readers that, although I conversed with many 
of the very poorest of the people, and with both Romanists and Prot- 
estants ; and although I always endeavored to elicit expressions of 
discontent, I never on<je heard, in any part of Prussia, one word 
spoken by any of the peasants against the educational regulations — 
But on the contrary, I every where received daily and hourly proofs 



59 

of the most unequivocal character, of the satisfaction and real pride 
■with which a Prussian, however poor he may be, looks upon the schools 
of his locality. 

Often and often have I been answered by the poor laborers, when 
asking them whether they did not dislike being obliged to educate 
their children, " Why should I ? The schools are excellent ; the 
teachers are very learned and good men ; and then think how much 
good our children are gaining ; they behave better at home.they make 
our families all the happier, and they are much better able in after- 
life to earn their own livelihood. No, no ; we do not dislika the 
schools, We know too well how much good our children are gaining 
from them." I have heard tbis said over and over in different parts 
of Prussia, Saxony, Bavaria, Wirtemburg, and Baden ; and, indeed, I 
may add, that throughout Germany, I never heard one single word 
of discontent uttered against these truly liberal and Christian estab- 
lishments. 

Every one of the richer classes, with whom I conversed, corrobo- 
rated the truth of all that the peasants had told me. I particularly 
remember a very intelligent teacher at Elberfeld saying to me, ' I 
am quite convinced that, if we had a political revolution to-morrow, 
none of the peasants would think of wishing to have any great alter- 
ation made in the laws which relate to the schools." Becent facts 
have proved the truth of the assertion.* 

Several travelers have fallen into the strangest errors in their in- 
vestigations on this subject, from having confined their attention to 
the schools of the capitals, or of one or two other large towns. Very 
few have seen the working of the system in the villages and remote 
provinces. But it is there only that a fair idea can be formed of the 
effects it is producing, and of the manner in which it it is regarded 
by the people themselves. 

The following account of the Prussian system is also from Mr. Kay. 

The inhabitants of each Parish are obliged, either alone, or in com- 
pany with one or more neighboring parishes, to provide sufficient 
school-room, a sufficient number of teachers, and all the necessary 
school apparatus for the instruction of all their children, who arc be- 
tween the ages of six and fourteen. I shall show by what parochial 
organization this is effected. 

I. Where all the inhabitants of a village are inembers of the same 
religious denomination. 

In these cases, whenever more school-room, or a greater number of 
teachers, or more apparatus, or any repairs of the existing school 



* A remarkable proof of the truth of these remarks is, that since the commence- 
ment of the German levohitions of 1S18, the only change in the educational regula- 
tions, which has been tlemandcd by the people is, that they should be allowed to 
send their children to the parochial schools free of all expense, and that the present 
small weekly pence required from the parents for the education of each chikl should 
be paid out of the regular parochial school rates. Tliis has been conceded, and the 
peasants themselves will now as rigorously enforce the compulsory educational reg- 
ulations, as the Swiss peasants enforce laws at least as stringent. 



60 

buildings is required, the village magistrate, having been informed 
of these deficiencies by the district school-inspector, immediately 
summons a committee of the villages, called the " Schulvorstand." 
This Schulvorstand consists — 

1. Of the religious minister of the parish. He is the president of 
the committee of Schulvorstand. In some parts of Prussia, however, 
there are still some few remnants of the old aristocracy, wbo possess 
great estates; and where the village is situated on one of these estates, 
there the landlord is the president of the school committee. This, 
however, is so rare an exception, that it is not necessary further to 
notice it. 

2. Of the village magistrate, who is selected by the county magis- 
trates from the most intelligent men in the parish. 

3. Of from two to four of the heads of families in the parish. — 
These members of the committee are elected by the parishioners, and 
their election is confirmed or annulled by the union magistrates. If 
the union magistrate annuls the election, because of the unfitness of 
the persons chosen, the parish can proceed to a second election ; but, 
if they again select men, who are not fit to be entrusted with the du- 
ties of the school committee, the election is again annulled, and the 
union magistrate himself selects two or four of the parishioners, to act 
as members of the committee. When the village is situate on the es- 
tate of a great landed proprietor, he also can annul the choice of the 
parishioners : but these cases, as I have before said, are very rare, and 
are confined almost entirely to the eastern provinces of Prussia, where 
the Polish nobles still retain some of their former possessions; for in 
the other provinces of Prussia, the land is now almost as much subdi- 
vided as in France, and is generally the property of the peasants. 

The members of these committees are chosen for sis years, at the 
end of which time a new election takes place, 

If several parishes join in supporting one school, each of them must 
be represented in the school committee, by at least one head of a fam- 
ily. The county court, however, has the power of preventing this 
union of parishes, for the support of one joint school, — 

1. When the number of children is so great, as to make it diffi- 
cult to instruct them all in two classes. 

2. When the parishes are separated too far apart, or when the 
roads between them are bad, dangerous, or at times impassable. 

In such cases there must be separate schools ; or else the great law 
of the land that " all the children must be educated^'' would often be 
infringed. 

II. Where the inhabitants of a village are members of different 
religious denominations. 

Sometimes it happens that a parish contains persons of diff"erent 
religious opinions; and then arises the question, which has been a 
stumbling-block to the progress of primary education in England, 
''how shall the rival claims of these parties be satisfied, so that the 
great law of Germany, that ' all the children must be educated^^ may 
be carried into eflfect ? " 

In these cases, the governments of Germany leave the parishes at 



61 

perfect liberty to select their own course of proceeding, and to estab- . 
lish separate or mixed schools, according as they judge best for them- 
selves. The only thing the government requires is, that schools of one 
kind or another shall be established. 

If the inhabitants of such a parish in Prussia determine on having 
separate schools, then separate school committees are elected by the 
diflferent sects. The committee of each sect consists of, the village 
magistrate, the minister, and two' or three heads of familieSj of the 
religious party for which the committee is constituted. 

If the inhabitants, however, decide on having one mixed school for 
all the religious parties, the committee consists of, the village magis- 
trate, the religious ministers of the different parties, and several of 
the parishioners, elected from among the members of the diflferent 
sects, for which the school is intended. 

In these cases, the teacher is chosen from the most numerous re- 
ligious party ; or, if the school is large enough to require two teachers, 
the head one is elected from the members of the most numerous party, 
and the second from those of the next largest party. If there is only 
one teacher, children of those parents who do not belong to the same 
religious- sect as the teaclier, are always allowed to absent themselves 
during the hour in which the teacher gives the religious lessons, on 
condition that the children receive religious instruction from their 
own religious ministers. 

One of the educational councillors at Berlin informed me, that the 
government did not encourage the establishment of mixed schools, as 
they think, that m. such cases, the religious education of both parties, 
or at least of one of them, often suffers ; but, he continued, " of course 
we think a mixed school infinitely better than none at all ; and, when 
a district is too poor to support separate schools, we gladly see mixed 
ones established." The gentleman who said this was a Roman Cath- 
olic. In the towns, there are not often mixed schools containing Ro- 
manists and Protestants, as there generally are sufficient numbers of 
each of these sects in every town, to enable the citizens to establish 
separate schools. The children of Jews, however, are often to be found, 
even in the towns, in the schools of the other sects ; but, owing to the 
entire and uncontrolled liberty of decision that the people themselves 
possess on this point, thtre seems to be little difficulty in arranging 
matters, and no jealousy whatever exists between the different par- 
ties. If a mixed school is established in any parish, and the teacher 
is chosen from the most numerous sect, and if the minor party be- 
comes discontented or suspicious of the education given in the school, 
it is always at liberty to establish another school for itself; and it is 
this liberty of action, which preserves the parishes, where the mixed 
schools exist, from all intestine troubles and religious quarrels, which 
are ever the most ungodly of disputes. In leaving the settlement of 
this matter to the parishes, the government appears to have acted 
most wisely ; for, in these religious questions, any interference from 
without is sure to create alarm, suspicion, and jealousy, and cause the 
different parties to fly asunder, instead of coalescing. All that the 
9 



62 

government does, is to say, '♦ You mnst provide sufficient school-room, 

and a sufficient number of good tcaebers, but decide yourselves bo^y 
you will do tbis " The consequence is, tbat tbe people say, •'• We can 
try a mixed scbool first; and, if we see reason to fear its efl'ects, we 
"wdl then amicably decide on erecting another separate one." So tbat 
tiie great difficulty arising from religious difference has been easily 
overcorne. 

In each of tbe diflerent provinces of Prussia tbe government bas 
establisbed five or six great colleges, intended expressly for tbe edu- 
cation of tbe teachers. Each county possesses at least one, nearly all 
have two of them. They are all endowed, partly by tbe state and 
partly by private benefactors Tbe education given in them is per- 
fectly gratuitous ; at least one-half of tbe cost of boarding each student 
is borne by the state, or defrayed out of tbe funds of the college, on 
the most liberal scale ; and every thing is provided, which can possibly 
contribute to the perfection of the training and education of the stu- 
dents. 

No attempt has been made to give the education of tbe teachers 
any political bias. The normal colleges are widely dispersed through- 
out tbe country. They are situated close to tbe homes of the students, 
and at great distances from tbe center of government; so tbat the 
patriotic sentiments naturally resulting from the humble origin of tbe 
young teachers are not weakened ; nor their local sympathies ever in- 
terrupted by tbe young men being removed, during tbe period of their 
education into a distant and uncongenial political atmosphere. — 
Neither does the government undertake the actual direction of these 
great and important establishments. Each of them, with only two or 
tliree exceptions, is put under tbe care of a religious minister of tbe 
sect, for the education of whose teachers it is destined. 

In each province, there are, as I have before stated, five or six of 
these institutions. In each county, there are generally two. If the 
inhabitants of a county are composed of Romanists and Protestants in 
pretty equal proportions, one of these colleges is devoted to the edu- 
cation of the Romanist teachers, tbe other to tbat of tbe Protestant. 
If nearly all the inhabitants of a county are of one faith, both of the 
normal colleges are devoted to the education of the teachers of this 
faith ; and the teachers of the minority are educated in one of the 
colleges of a neighboring county. There are only two normal colleges 
ill Prussia, where Romanist and Protestant teachers are professedly 
educated together. The directors of these great institutions are chosen 
from among the clergy. Tbe director of a Romanist college is chosen 
by the Romanist bishop of tbe province, in which tbe college is situ- 
ated ; and tbe director of a Protestant college is chosen by the eccle- 
siastical authorities of the province, in which the college is situated ; 
subject, however, in both cases, to the approbation of the Minister of 
Education in Berlin, who has the power of objecting if an unsuitable 
or injudicious choice is made. 

The normal colleges are thus put under tbe supervision of the re- 
ligious bodies. The government itself directs their management. It 
recognizes the importance of these colleges having a decidedly relig- 



63 

ious character ; and, at the same time, of the education given in tVieni 
bein,:>' of the most liberal kind. On the one hand therefore, it intrusts 
the direction of them to the clergy ; and, on the other hand, it re- 
serves the right of examining them, so as tg have the power of inter- 
fering, in case the secular education of the students should be injudi- 
ciously curtailed. The director of each college appoints all the pro- 
fessors and teachers. The religious ministers have, therefore, a con, 
siderable share of the direction of these institutions. Their character 
is decidedly religious, and a union between the clergy and tlie teachers 
is effected, which is productive of the best possible results. 



Extract from Prof. Stoicc's Report on Eleinentary Instruction in 

Europe. 
" In regard to the necessity of moral instruction and the beneficial 
influence of the Bible in schools, the testimony was no less explicit 
and uniform. I inquired of all clas.ses of teachers, and men of every 
grade of religious faith, instructors in common schools, high schools, 
and schools of art, of professors in colleges, universities and profes- 
sional seminaries, in cities and in the country, in places where there 
was a uniformity and in places where was a diversity of creeds, of be- 
lievers and unbelievers, of rationalists and enthusiasts, of Catholics 
and Protestants ; and I never found but one reply, and that was, that 
to leave the moral faculty uninstructed was to leave the most impor- 
tant part of the human mind undeveloped, and to strip education of 
almost every thing that can make education valuable; and that the 
Bible, independently of the interest attending it, as containing the 
most ancient and influential writing.s ever recorded bv human hands, 
and comprising the religious system of almost the whole of the civi- 
lized world, is in itself the best book that can be put into the hands 
of children to interest, to exercise, and to unfold their intellectual 
and moral powers. Every teacher whom I consulted, repelled with 
indignation that moral instruction is not proper for schools ; and 
spurned with contempt the allegation, that the Bible cannot be intro- 
duced into common schools without encouraging a sectarian bias in 
the matter of teaching ; an indignation and contempt which I believe 
will be fully participated in by every high-minded teacher in Christen- 
dom." 



SAXONY. 

A number of common schools, corresponding to the wants of the 
people, is insured by a division of the kingdom into school circuits 
(schulbezirke.) and all the children residing in each circuit must at- 
tend the school there established. No boy can be apprenticed until 
after the age at which he may lawfully leave school. Congregations 
of different religious persuasions are allowed to establish schools in 



64 

their circuit, and if no other school exists than one so established, all 
the children of the circuit are bound to attend it; they are not, how- 
ever, required to take part in the religious instruction. 

Every school circuit must furnish a school-house, and a dwelling for 
the teacher. The schools are supported from funds of the church, 
from the interest on donations to the school fund, from fines levied on 
parents who neglect to send their children to school, from a payment 
made to the school fund in purchases of property, from collections, 
from the fees paid by the pupils, and from direct taxation. These 
funds are chargeable with the master's salary, with the furniture of 
the schools, books and slates for the poor children, prizes, insurance, 
and incidental expenses. 

The books used in the Protestant schools are, the Bible, Luther's 
Catechism, the hymn book, and three reading books, the selection of 
which is made by the local school inspector. In the Roman Catholic 
schools, the selection of books is left to the ecclesiastical authorities. 

The following is from Mr. Kay. 

Since the revolution of 1848, the education in all the -primary 
schools has been made perfectly gratuitous, so that every parent can 
send his children to any school free of expense ; except that, which is 
incurred by providing them with respectable clothing. 

Besides the day schools, there is still another class of schools, which 
merits our attention. These are the Saxon Sund.-iy schools. They 
are to be found in all the towns, in the great parishes, and in the man- 
ufacturing districts. They are opened on the Sunday mornings or 
Sunday evenings, and are intended for the instruction of all persons 
of whatever age they may be, who desire to continue their education, 
and who are prevented, by their week-day duties, from attending any 
of the primary or superior schools. They are frequented principally by 
adults, or by young people above the age of fifteen, who have left the 
primary schools. These classes are opened every Sunday for about three 
or four hours, and are conducted by some of the district teachers, who 
are paid for this extra labor by the county authorities. The education 
given in them is not confined to religious teaching. It comprehends 
besides this, instruction in reading, writing, arithmetic, history, geog- 
raphy, the physical sciences, drawing, and the new inventions of the 
age. These classes generally assemble on the Sunday evenings, in one 
of the dayrschools of the town or district. The incidental expenses 
necessary for warming and lighting the room, and for the purchase of 
the necessary books, &c , are generally defrayed by the voluntary con- 
tribution of the students, who attend the classes, and by the benevo- 
lence of rich people, who are interested in promoting these useful in- 
stitutions. When the funds derived from these sources do not suffice, 
the minister of public instruction is empowered to assist the town or 
other locality, in perfecting and supporting these schools. In many 
towns and parishes, however, they are entirely maintained by public 
subscriptions, and in these cases the students do not pay any thing for 
their education. 



65 

WIRTEMBURG. 

Each locality, comprising thirty families, is compelled by law to 
have a primary school. Localities containing a population of less 
than thirty families, are compelled by law to unite with a neighbor- 
ing locality in the establishment of a school. If the neighboring 
locality is at a distance of more than two and a half English miles, 
or the road thereto dangerous, then the Goverrrment Committee of 
Education can decree the establishment of a separate school even for 
fifteen families. 

If in a community of different religious confessions the minority 
comprises sixty families, they may claim the establishment and sup- 
port of a school of their own confession at the expense of the whole 
community. The expenses are paid by the whole community, with- 
out regard to religious confessions, and by each individual in propor- 
tion to the amount of taxes paid by him. In poor communities the 
government contributes in part toward the salary of the schoolmaster 
and repairs of the school. 



AUSTRIA. 

Austria has a system* of education which, from the village school 
to the university, is gratuitously open to all, and which, in all its de- 
partments, is. based on religion, and governed and moulded by the 
State. Its universality is secured not by direct compulsion, as in 
Prussia, but by enactments which render a certificate of school at- 
tendance and educational proficiency necessary to exercise a trade, 
or be employed as a workman,! to engage in the service of the State 
in any capacity, or to be married. Besides this, it is made the in- 
terest of the wealthy landholders to contribute liberally for the edu- 
cation of their tenants and the poor, by throwing upon them the 
support of the pauper population. 

All the institutions for education are under the supervision of a 
Board or Council (the Hof-studien Commission) at Vienna, composed 
of laymen appointed by the crown, and at the head of which a Miji- 
ister of Public Instruction was placed in 1848. It is the duty of 
this body to investigate all complaints against these institutions; 
suggest and prepare plans of improvement, and counsel the crown 
in all matters referred to them. Under them is a graduated system ' 
of superintendence, to be exercised jointly, by the civil and spiritual 
authorities in the various subdivisions of the empire. The bishop 
and his consistory, jointly with the landestelle, has charge of all the 

* The following account of the educational system of Austria is abridged main- 
ly from TurubuU's Austria. , 

t Turnbull mentions an instance of a large manufacturer in Bohemia, who was 
fined for employing a workman not provided with the requisite certificate of 
education. 



66 

scholastic institutions of the diocese ; the rural dean, jointly with the 
kreisamt, of those of a district ; the parochial incumbent, and the 
civil commsssary, those of a parish. This general arrangement has 
reference to the Catholic establishment ; but the proper authorities 
of the Protestant, Greek, and Hebrew churches are substituted for 
those of the Catholic, for all that regards the members of their 
several communions. 

Where children of different creeds are intermixed in one school, 
religious instruction and catechization is confined to the last hour of 
the morning and afternoon attendance, during which hour the non- 
Romanists are dismissed, to receive instruction elsewhere from their 
respective pastors ; but where the number of non-Romanists is suffi- 
ciently great to support a separate school, the minister of that per- 
suasion, whatever it may be, is charged exclusively with the same 
duties as, in the general schools, are imposed on the parish priest. — 
To ministers of all professions an equal recourse is, by the terms of 
the ordinances, allowed to the aid of the poor fund and of the grants 
from the kreisamt. If the schools be too distant or too numerous for 
the proper supervision of the local minister, a separate instructor is 
named by the bishop, or, if the school be Protestant, by the provincial 
superintendent; and, for the visitors of all denominations, the ex- 
pense of a carriage is equally borne by the public. Except in the 
points above enumerated, the parochial minister has no power to act, 
but only to report; in all those connected with defects or deficiencies 
of the buildings, he, in conjunctioii with the civil commissary, reports 
to the kreisamt, and in those of merely scholastic nature, as well as 
in the conduct oTthe teacher, he addresses his remarks to the inspec- 
tor of the district. 

To the episcopal consistories, headed by the bishop, is committed 
the general supervision of all the scholastic concerns of the diocese, 
the regulations of matters of discipline, the communication of instruc- 
tion, and the investigation of delinquencies. It is a part of their 
functions to order the erection of schools, to appoint the teachers, to 
authorize the payment of pensions to teachers in sickness or in age, 
and to their widows and orphans, when entitled to them ; but in these 
points, as in all others which involve any exercise of real authority, 
patronage, or influence, their acts are invalid without the confirma- 
tiim of the landestelle. For the professors of non-Romanist creeds, 
these respective functions are discharged in their several gradations 
by officers of their own persuasion. The Protestant seniors and SU' 
perintendents are the district-inspectors and the provincial inspectors- 
general for their respective communities ; and the functions of the 
diocesan consistories are transferred to the central Calvinistic and 
Lutheran consistories at Vienna. 



67 

SWITZERLAND. 

The following is from Mr. Kay. 

" Perhaps of all countries Switzerland offers the most instructive 
lesson to any one investigating educational systems and institutions. 
It is divided into twenty-two independent cantons, each of which 
manages its own internal policy after its own peculiar views ; so that 
the educational systems of the several cantons differ very materially, 
whilst the federal government which unites all, brings all into inti- 
mate connection one with another, and facilitates improvement, as 
the institutions which are found to work best are gradually adopted 
by all the different governments. Each canton being acquainted with 
tfie systems pursued by the others, the traveler is enabled, not only 
to make his own observations on the various results, but is benefited 
also by the conversation of men accustomed to compare what is being 
done by their own government with what is being done by others, 
and to inquire into the means of perfecting their educational systems. 

But the advantage to be derived from an investigation of the vari- 
ous efforts made by the different cantons, is still further increased by 
the fact of their great difference in religious belief Thus, the popu- 
lation of the canton of Vaud, for example, is decidedly Presbyterian — 
that of Lucerne is almost exclusively Roman Catholic, whilst those of 
Argovia and Berne, are partly Protestant and partly Roman Catholic. 
Not only, therefore, docs the traveler enjoy the advantage of study- 
ing the educational systems of countries professing different religious 
creeds, but the still greater one of witnessing the highly satisfactory 
solution of the various difficulties arising from differences of religious 
belief existing under the same government. 

The great development of primary education in Switzerland, dates 
from 1832 or 1833, immediately after the overthrow of the old aristo- 
cratical oligarchies. No sooner did the cantonal governments become 
thoroughly popular, than the education of the people was commenced 
on a grand and liberal scale, and from that time to this, each year 
has witnessed a still further progress, until the educational operations 
of the several governments have become by far their most weighty 
and important duties. 

Throughout all the cantons, with the exception of Geneva, Vallais, 
and three small mountainous cantons on the Lake of Lucerne, where 
the population is too scanty and too scattered to allow of the erection 
of many schools, education is compulsory; that is, all parents are re- 
quired by law to send their children to school from the age of six to 
the age of fourteen, and, in several cantons, to the age of sixteen. — 
The schoolmasters in the several communes are furnished with lists 
of all the children in their districts, which are called over every morn- 
ing on the assembling of the school ; the absentees are noted, and 
also the reasons, if any, for their absence; these lists are regularly 
examined by the inspectors, who fine the parents of the absentees for 
each day of absence. 

In the cantons of Berne, Vaud, Argovia, Zurich, Thurgovia, Lucerne, 
and SchafThausen, where this law is put in force most stringently, it 



68 

may be said with truth, that all the children between the ages of seven 
and fifteen are receiving a sound and religious education. This is a 
most charming result, and one which is destined to rapidly aflvance 
Switzerland, within the next eighty years, in the course of a high 
Christian civilization. One is astonished and delighted, in walking 
through the towns of the cantons I have mentioned, to miss those 
heart-rending scenes to be met with in every English town ; I mean 
the crowds of filthy, half-clothed children, who may be seen in the 
back streets of any of our towns, groveling in the disgusting filth of 
the undrained pavements, listening to the lascivious songs of the 
tramping singers, witnessing scenes calculated to demoralize adults, 
and certain to leave their impress on the susceptible minds of the 
young, quarrelling, swearing, fighting, and in every way emulating 
the immorality of those who bred them. There is scarcely a town 
in England and Wales whose poorer streets, from eight in the morn- 
ing until ten at night, are not full of these harrowing and disgusting 
scenes, which thus continually show us the real fountain-head of our 
demoralized pauperism. In Switzerland nothing of the kind is to be 
seen. The children are as regularly engaged in school, as their 
parents are in their daily occupations, and henceforward, instead of 
the towns continuing to be, as in England, and as they have hitherto 
been in Switzerland, the hot-beds and nurseries of irreligion, immor- 
ality, and sedition, they will only afford still more favorable opportu- 
nities, than the country, of advancing the religious, moral, and social 
interests of the children of the poor. How any one can wonder at 
the degraded condition of our poor, after having walked through the 
back streets of any of our towns, is a thing I never could understand. 
For even where there are any schools in the town, there are scarcely 
ever any play grounds annexed to them ; so that in the hours of re- 
creation the poor little children are turned out into the streets, to far 
more than forget all the moral and religious counsel given in the 
school. It is strange that we do not understand how invaluable the 
refuge is, which a school and playground afford to the children of the 
poor, however indifferent the education given in the school. 

This small country, beautified but impoverished by* its Alpine 
ranges, containing a population* less than that of Middlesex, and less 
than one-half its capital, supports and carries on an educational 
system greater than that which our government maintains for the 
whole of England and Wales! Knowing that it is hopeless to at- 
tempt to raise the character of the education of a country without 
first raising the character and position of the schoolmaster, Switzer- 
land has established, and at the present moment supports, thirteen 
Normal schools for the instruction of the school masters and school- 
mistresses, whilst England and Wales rest satisfied with six! Eleven 
of these schools are permanent, and are held during the whole of the 
year ; the remaining two sit only for about three months yearly, for 

* In 184G the population of Switzerland was about 2,100,000. 



69 

the purpose of examining monitors recommended by the masters of 
the primary schools, and desirous of obtaining diplomas to enable 
them to act as schoolmasters. In the majority of these schools the 
members of the different religious sects are received with a willing- 
ness and with a Christian charity, which puts to shame our religious 
intolerance. Nor does this liberality proceed from any carelessness 
about the religious education of the people, for no master can obtain, 
from his canton's government, a diploma, to enable him to officiate 
as schoolmaster, without having first obtained from a clergyman of 
his own church a certificate of moral character and of competency 
to conduct the religious education in the school for which he is des- 
tined ; but it proceeds rather from a recognition of this great truth, 
that the cause of religion must be deeply injured by neglecting the 
secular education of the people, and from a Christian resolution in 
all parties to concede somewhat, for the sake of insuring what must 
be the foundation of all social improvement, the advancement of the 
intelligence and morality of the people. M. Gauthe}-, a Presbyte- 
rian clergyman, and director of the Normal schools at Lausanne, M. 
Vehrli, director of the Normal school near Constance, the professors 
of the Normal school in Argovia, M. Schneider von Langnau, min- 
ister of public instruction in the canton of Berne, and M. Fellenberg, 
of Hofwyl, all assured me that they did not find the least inconven- 
ience resulting from the instruction of different sects in the same 
schools. Those who differ in faith from the master of the school are 
allowed to absent themselves from the doctrinal lessons given in the 
school, and are required to attend one of their own clergy for the 
purpose of receiving from him their doctrinal instruction. 

Even in Fribourg, a canton governed by Catholic priests, Protes- 
tants may be found mingled with the Catholics in the schools, and 
are allowed to absent themselves during the hours of religious les- 
sons; and, in Argovia, a canton which has lately so distinguished 
itself by its opposition to the Jesuits of Lucerne, I found that seve- 
ral of the professors in the Normal school were Catholics, and that 
the utmost .tolerance was manifested to all the Catholics attending 
the cantonal schools. 

The Swiss government perceived, that if the powerful sects in the 
several cantons were to refuse education to the Dissenters, only one 
part of the population would be educated. They perceived also, that 
secular education was necessary to the progress of religious educa- 
tion, and that they could secure neither without liberality ; and there- 
fore they resolved that all the children should be required to attend 
school, and that all the schools should be opened to the whole popu- 
lation. 

It may seem extraordinary to some that so small a country as 
Switzerland should require so many schools for teachers, but the ex- 
planation is very simple. Switzerland is a poor country, and al- 
though it gives the schoolmaster a very honorable station in society, 
and regards him as iiext in dignity to the priests and clergy, it is 
10 



70 

not able to pay him very well, so that in many cases there is no 
other inducement to a schoolmaster to remain long at his post, than 
the interest he feels in his profession. From this cause there is al- 
ways a constant desertion from the ranks going on in some parts, 
and a consequent necessity for the preparation of a sufficient number 
to fill the vacant posts. If the masters were paid better, Switzer- 
land would be able to dispense with two or three of its Normal 
schools. 

Each canton in Switzerland is divided into a certain number of 
communes or parishes, and each of these communes is required by 
law to furnish sufficient school-room for the education of its children, 
and to provide a certain salary, the minimum of which is fixed by 
the cantonal government, and a house for each master it receives 
from the Normal school of the carUon. These communal schools 
lire, in the majority of cases, conducted by masters chosen from the 
most numerous religious sect in the commune, unless there are suffi- 
cient numbers of the different religious bodies to require more than 
one school, when one school is*conducted by a master belonging to 
one sect, and the other by a master chosen from a different sect. — 
The children of those parents, who differ in religion from the master 
of the school, are permitted to absent themselves from the doctrinal 
lessons, and are required to obtain instruction, in the religious doc- 
trines of their own creed, from clergy of their own persuasion. 



FRANCE. 

A distinguishing feature of the system of public instruction in 
France, is the appointment of all professors in ail the colleges and 
lyceums, and in the faculties of law, medicine, theology, and letters, 
and all the institutions of education above the primary school, by 
public competition {les concours.) A concours may last a few days 
only, or it may last for months. The months of September and Au- 
gust are the months of vacation in the different colleges, and are usual- 
ly devoted to the public competition of candidates for mfy professor- 
ship or chair declared to be vacant by the minister of public instruc- 
tion. The judges are selected from among the most distinguished 
scholars in France. The mode of conducting the trial varies with 
t'ne department to be filled. But it embraces every mode by which 
the accuracy and extent of the attainments of each candidate in the 
study can be tested, as well as his ability to communicate his knowl- 
edge to classes of pupils. Each candidate is subject to the criticism 
of his competitor. Every professor in all the colleges and great 
schools of France has passed through this ordeal. 

The central government, the departmental authorities, the muni- 
cipal authorities, the religious authorities, the heads of families, have 
e-i'ch their sphere of action, and their influence in the administration 
of primary schools. 

The local management of a primary school is intrusted tp a com- 



71 

mittee of tlie commune, consisting of the mayor, the president of 
the council, the cure, or pastor, and one person appointed by the 
committee of the arrondissement in which the commune is situated. 

The general supervision of the schools of eacli arrondissement is 
assigned to a committee of the arrondissement, which consists of the 
mayor of the chief town, of the juge de paix, a pastor of each of 
the recognized religious sects, a professor of a college, or school of 
secondary instruction, a primary schoolmaster, three members of the 
council of the arrondissement, and the members of the council-gen- 
eral of the department who reside in the arrondissement. 

Tliese committees meet once a month. The commun.al commit- 
tees inspect and report the condition of the schools in the commune 
to the committee of the arrondissement. Some member of the com- 
mittee of the arrondissement is present at each local inspection, and 
a report of the whole committee on the state of education in the ar- 
rondissement is made annually to the minister of public instruction. 

In each department there is a commission of primary education, 
composed of at least seven members, among which there must be a 
minister of each of the religious denominations recognized by law, 
and at least three persons who are at the time, or have been, engaged 
in teaching public schools of secondary instruction. This commit- 
tee is charged with the examination of all candidates for the certifi- 
cate of qualification to teach primary schools, or to enter the Normal 
School of the department. These examinations must be public, at 
a time fixed, and notified by the minister, and in the chief toAvn of the 
department. The examination is varied according to the grade of 
school for which the candidate applies. With a certificate of capac- 
ity from this commission, the candidate can teach in any commune 
in the department, without any local examination. 



From Nichol's Education of Ike People. 
OF MIXliD SCHOOLS, IN EESPECT OF THE MODE OF KELI- 
GIOUS WORSHIP. 

" Hitherto, while discussing the organization of primary schools, we 
have not taken into account that the inhabitants of the same district, 
as in many localities in Alsace, Lorraine, &c. in the south of France, 
may profess diiferent religions. It is on this account that the law 
gives to the Minister of Instruction, power to authorise, by the title 
of parish schools, seminaries especially belonging to any one of the 
forms of worship recognised by the State. This provision of the aw 
only treats with respect a custom already existing ; for in many of 
these mixed communities, the municipal contributions have for a long 
time been equally divided among the schools of the diiferent creeds. 

In populous villages, this division has no other inconvenience than 
that of keeping up, between the inhabitants who profess different 
religions, a separation which it would be desirable to have entirely 
removed ; still education and instruction do not suffer by it, as it is 



T2 

suflBcient, in organising the schools, to proceed in the same manner 
as if for several distinct communities. But how can this be done in 
small villages which are divided between two sects ? There are in 
Alsace, villages with five hundred inhabitants which support two com- 
mon schools, one of which, belonging to the minority, often contains 
no more than fifteen or twenty pupils. The result of this is, that the 
two schools are not in a desirable condition. Shall the suppression 
of this school of the minority^ and consequently the advantage of 
having but one school better endowed and more suitably organised, 
be placed in the balance against the inconvenience of intrusting the 
education of a certain number of children to a teacher professing a 
different religion 1 — or what amounts to the same thing, shall there 
be mixed schools in a country which reckons religious equality amongst 
the most precious of its rights, and where the law itself places reli- 
gious instruction at the head of all education 1 We can conceive the 
assembling upon the same benches of pupils of different religions 
in special schools, and even in colleges ; because their religious con- 
victions are already formed, or because provision is made for the teach- 
ing of religion independently of, and apart from ordinary instruction ; 
and, even there, a strict impartiality an extreme delicacy is for many 
reasons necessary on the part of professors, lest they wound the feel- 
ings of one party of the pupils ; and care must be taken not to excite 
those differences, the effacing of which is the design of uniting them 
in the same school. But in popular schools, where religious instruc- 
tion is not only the most important part of education, but where the 
spirit of religion should pervade all. and serve as the foundation of 
morality, and a common prayer should commence and terminate the 
lesson, this admixture offers much greater difficulties. There are, it 
is true, some mixed schools where the most strict impartiality pre- 
sides, wnere no trace of confessed preference is found, where pupils of. 
differen religious professions sit quietly side by side, living together in 
the same manner, imbibing the same sentiments, and receiving from 
the same lips the same truths and precepts of morality and religion, 
not of religion under any particular form, but of universal religion, 
of that which all religious men profess, and which serves as the com- 
mon basis of all worship. But besides that few schools are thus man- 
aged, afid that their management pre-supposes very rare qualities, at 
what sacrifice are those results obtained 1 Is it not at the expense of 
all that forms the essence of religious education, nay, which is religious 
education itself? In suppressing at the commencement and close of 
the school confessional prayer, and substituting for it a prayer with- 
out any distinctive character, the religious habits of the children are 
disturbed ; the suppression of all prayer would deprive them of an 
important means of religious education ; and in making each portion 
of the children offer prayer for themselves apart, or in causing them 
all to recite the same prayer, if some are to kneel while others are 
standing, there is a great risk of nourishing in the minds of the chil- 
dren that very intolerance which they profess to be contending with, 
or else of implanting in their hearts the germs of scepticism and in- 
difference. In such a school, the master who professes the religion of 



73 

the majority is constantly under restraint, and never dares to express 
himself with entire ease and freedom, for fear of forgetting his jxirt of 
professional indiiference. He will be constantly liable to failure iu 
this duty ; and he will not be able to fulfil it but at the expense of 
the influence which he ought to exercise over his pupils. Until, there- 
fore, by a general progress in religion effected by other means, the 
diiTerent sects become reconciled, I think it is better to institute pri- 
mary mixed schools only where they are absolutely necessary ; that is 
to say, in districts very thinly peopled, or too poor to support several 
schools, or where nonconformists form only a very small minority — • 
But in this case it is most indispensable that the superior authorities 
take care that the religious acquirements of this minority, be it Cath- 
olic, Protestant, or Jewish, be not sacrificed ; and whenever the funds 
will permit it, there should be added to the principal master, an as- 
sistant who professes the religion of the minority." 



From the 3Inssachusetts Common School Journal, Volume 12. 
THE CHURCH AND THE SCHOOLS OF FRANCE. 

Our readers may not be aware that, since the republic was pro- 
claimed in France, an attempt has been made by the Catholic clergy 
to procure an act of the General Assembly, restoring to the clergy 
the entire instruction and control of the National Schools. Before 
the time of Napoleon, every school, even the primaries, was instruct- 
ed by a priest, and very little was taught in them except the creed 
and the elements of the Catholic Faith. The Emperor changed the 
system entirely, and removed every priest from the schools. The 
Bourbons restored the priests at their own restoration, but the late 
revolution set the schools free again. Now an effort is making to 
bring the schools again under subjection to the church, and the fol- 
lowing extracts are from a speech by Victor Hugo, the author, who 
has had the manhood to speak the truth in the face of a hierarchy 
that would*supercede God and stultify men. — Ed. 

" You speak of religious teaching. Do you know what is the true 
religious teaching ; that before which we should prostrate ourselves; 
that which we have no occasion to disturb ? It is the Sister of Chari- 
ty at the bed of the dying. It is the Brother of Mercy ransoming 
the slave. It is A^'incent de Paul taking care of the foundling. It 
is the bishop of Marseilles in the midst of the plague-striken. It is 
the archbishop of Paris approaching with a smile that formidable 
faubourg St. Antoine, raising his crucifix above the civil war, and 
little disturbed at meeting his own death, if it only brings peace. — 
Here is true religious teaching; real, profound, efficacious, poi)ular 
religious teaching ; that which, happily for religion and humanity, 
makes more christians than you make. 

Ah, we know you ! we know the clerical party. It is an old party. 
This it is which mounts guard at the door of orthodoxy. This it is, 



74 

which has found for the truth those two marvellous supporters, ign-o- 
rance and error ! This it is, which forbids to science and to genius, 
the going beyond the missal, and which wishes to cloister thought 
in dogmas. Every step which the intelligence of Europe has taken, 
has been in spite of it. Its history is written in the history of human 
progress, but it is written on the back of the leaf. It is opposed to 
it all. This it is, which caused Prinelli to he scourged for having 
said that the stars would not fall. This it is, which put Campanella 
seven times to the torture for having affirmed that the number of 
worlds was infinite, and for having caught a glimpse at the secret of 
creation. This it is, which persecuted Harvey for having proved the 
circulation of the blood. In the name of Jesus, it shut up Galileo. 
In the name of Saint Paul, it imprisoned Christopher Columbus. To 
discover a law of the heavens was an impiety. To find a world was 
a heresy. This it is which anathematized Pascal in the name of re- 
ligion, Montaigne in the name of morality, Moliere in the name both 
of morality and of religion. Oh! yes, certainly, whoever you may 
be, who call yourselves the Catholic party and who are the clerical 
party, we know you. For a long time already the human conscience 
has revolted against you, and now demands of you, " What is it that 
you wish of me?" For a long time already you have tried to put a 
gag on the human intellect. You wish to b^ the masters of educa- 
tion. And there is not a poet, not an author, not a philosopher, not 
a thinker, that you accept. And all that has been written, found, 
dreamed, deduced, inspired, imagined, invented by genius, — the 
treasure of civilization, the venerable inheritance of generations, the 
common patrimony of knowledge, you reject. 

There is a book, a book which is, from one end to the other, an 
emanation from above, a book, which is for the whole world v/hat 
the Koran is for Islamism, what the Vedas are for India, a book 
which contains all human wisdom, illuminated by all divine wisdom, 
a book which the veneration of the people called THE Book, the 
Bible! Well, your censure has reached even that. Unheard of 
thing! popes have proscribed the Bible! How astonishing to wise 
spirits, how overpowering to simple hearts, to see the finger of Rome 
placed upcm the book of God ! 

And you claim the liberty of teaching. Stop, be sincere, let us 
understand the liberty which you claim; it is the liberty of not 
teaching. You wish us to give you the people to instruct. Very well. 
Let us see your pupils. Let us see those you have produced. What 
have you done for Italy? What have you done for Spain? For 
centuries you have kept in your hands, at your discretion, at your 
school, under your ferule, these two great nations, illustrious among 
the illustrious. What have you done for them? I am going to tell 
you. 1 hanks to you, Italy, whose name no man, who thinks, can 
any longer pronounce without an inexpressible filial emotion; Italy, 
mother of genius and of nations, which has spread over the universe 
all the most brilliant marvels of poetry and the arts, Italy, which has 
taught mankind to read, now knows not how to read ! Yes, Italy is, 



75 

of all the states of Europe, that where the smallest number of natives 
know how to read. 

Spain, magnificently endowed ; Spain, which received from the 
Romans her first civilization, from the Arabs her second civilization, 
from Providence, and in spite of you, a world, America; Spain, 
thanks to you, thanks to your yoke of stupor, which is a yoke of 
degradation and of decay, Spain has lost this secret of power, which 
it had from the Romans ; this genius of the arts, which it had from 
the Arabs ; this world, which it had from God ; and in exchange for 
all that you have made it lose, it has received from you — the Inqui- 
sition. 

The Inquisition, which certain men of the party try to-day to re- 
establish, with a shameful timidity far which I honor them ; the In- 
quisition, which has burned on the funeral pile five millions of men ; 
the Inquisition, which disinterred the dead to burn them as heretics ; 
the Inquisition, which declared the children of heretics even to the 
second generation infamous and incapable of any public honors, ex- 
cepting only those who shall have denounced their fathers ; the Inquisi- 
tion, which, while I speak, still holds, in the papal library, the man- 
uscripts of Galileo, sealed under the papal signet ! 

These are your master-pieces. This fire, which we call Italy, you 
have extinguished. This colossus, which we call Spain, you have 
undermined. The one in ashes, the other in ruins. This is what 
you have done for two great nations. What do you wish to do for 
France! 

Stop, you have just come from Rome! I congratulate you. You 
have had fine success there. You come trom gagging the Roman 
people ; now you wish to gag the French people. I understand. — 
This attempt is still more fine ; but take care, it is dangerous. France 
is a lion, and alive ! 



BELGIUM. 

During the union with Holland, the Catholics of Belgium com- 
plained of being oppressed by the Protestant government of Holland ; 
and this feeling no doubt led to the revolution of 1839 which sepa- 
rated the two countries. 

The popularity of the system of elementary schools was destroyed 
by the efforts of the government to control the institutions of second- 
ary and superior education, and especially by the measures adopted 
to enforce a Protestant influence from Holland into institutions sup- 
ported by the Catholics, who constituted a large majority of these 
provinces. 

In 1816 the king issued a decree for the organization of the upper 
branches of public instruction. By this decree three universities 
were created — at Louvain, at Ghent, and Liege — each to possess the 
five faculties, of theology, jurisprudence, medicine, mathematical 
and physical sciences, philosophy and letters. 



76 

In 1822, an edict was published forbidding all persons to exercise 
the functions of schoolmaster in the higher branches of education 
who had not been authorized by * the central board of instruction ; 
and by a decree of 1822, this edict was extended to all associations, 
civil and religious, and all persons were forbidden to take vows in 
any religious fraternity, without permission of the government. 

In 1825 all independent schools and seminaries were suppressed, 
and a philosophical college was established at Louvain, in which all 
who were destined for the ecclesiastical state were required to pass 
two years in study as a necessary condition for admission into any 
episcopal seminary. 

This movement was followed by a loud demand for liberty o^" in- 
struction, of the press, and of worship on the part of the Catholics, 
and finally a concordat was concluded with the court of Rome and 
the government of Holland, in virtue of which the episcopal theolog- 
ical seminaries were again opened, and the bishops left at liberty to 
provide at their own discretion for the instruction of the pupils. 

In 1830 the Nassau dynasty was banished from Belgium, and a 
constitutional monarchy was formed, under which the equal liberty 
of all creeds and religious communities was guaranteed, and the en- 
tire liberty of instruction proclaimed. 



HOLLAND. 

The general school laws provide that "measures shall be taken 
that the scholars be not left without instruction in the doctrinal creed 
of the religious community to which they belong ; but that part of 
the instruction shall not be exacted from the schoolmaster." — 
page 600. 

In the primary schools " at the opening and breaking up of each 
class, a christian prayer, solemn, short and suitable to the occasion, 
sliall be said daily or weekly. At the same time a hymn, adapted to 
the circumstances, may be sung." 

As the masters were prohibited from teaching any particular relig- 
ious doctrine in the schools, the government, through the Secretary 
of State for the Home Department, addressed a circular letter to the 
different ecclesiastical bodies in the country, inviting them to take 
upon themselves, out of school hours, the whole instruction of the 
younor, cither by properly-arranged lessons in the catechism, or by 
any other means. Answers were returned from the Synod of the 
Dutch Reformed church and other ecclesiastical bodies, assenting to 
the separation of doctrinal from the other instruction of the schools, 
and pledging themselves to extend the former through their ministers 
pf the different religious communions. 



77 

On the practical operation of the provisions for religious and 
moral education, we adduce the following testimony, Mr. Kay re- 
marks — 

The law of 1801 proclaims, as the great end of all instruction, the 
exercise of the social and Christian virtues. In this respect it agrees 
with the law of Prussia and France ; but it differs from the law of 
these countries in the way by which it attempts to attain this end. — 
In France, and all the German countries, the schools are the auxilia- 
ries, so to speak, of the churches, for, whilst the schools are open to 
all sects, yet the teacher is a man trained up in the particular doc- 
tiines of the majority of his pupils, and required to teach those doc- 
trines during certain hours, the children who differ from him in relig- 
ious belief, being permitted to absent themselves from the religious 
lesson on condition that their parents provided elsewhere for their 
religious instruction. But, in Holland, the teachers are required to 
give religious instruction to ail the children, and to avoid most care- 
fully touching on any of the grounds of controversy between the 
different sects. 

Mr. Nicholls says: "As respects religion, the population of Hol- 
land is divided, in about equal proportions, into Catholic, Lutheran, 
and Protestants of the reformed Calvinistic Church ; and the minis- 
ters of each are supported by the state. The schools contain, with- 
out distinction, the children of every sect of Christians. The religious 
and moral instruction afforded to the children is taken from the pages 
of Holy Writ, and the whole course of education is mingled with a 
frequent reference to the great general evidences of revelation. Bib- 
lical history is taught not as dry narration of facts, but as a store- 
house of truths, calculated to influence the affections, to correct and 
elevate the manners, and to inspire sentiments of devotion and virtue. 
The great principles and truths of Christianity, in which all are 
agreed, are likewise carefully inculcated ; but those points, which are 
the subjects of difference and religious controversy, form no part of 
the instruftion of the schools. This department of religious teaching 
is confided to the ministers of each persuasion, who discharge this 
portion of their duties out of school ; but within the schools the 
common ground of instruction is faithfully preserved, and they are, 
consequently, altogether free from the spirit of jealousy or proselytism. 
We witnessed the exercise of a class of the children of notables of 
Haarlem, (according to the simultaneous method,) respecting the 
death and resurrection of our Saviour, by a minister of the Lutheran 
church. The class contained children of Catholics, Calvinists and 
other denominations of Christians, as well as Lutherans, and all dis- 
putable doctrinal points were carefully avoided. The Lutherans are the 
smallest in number, the Calvinists the largest, and the Catholics about 
midway between the two; but all appear to live together in perfect ami- 
ty, without the slightest distinction in the common intercourse of life ; 
and this circumstance, so extremely interesting in itself, no doubt fa- 
ll 



78 

cilitated the establishment of the general system of education here de- 
scribed, the rjfirts of which arc so oppparciit in the highly moral and 
intellectual condition of the Dutch people.'" 

Baron Cuvier, in his report to the French government in 1811, 
says : 

The means devised for the religious instruction of all persuasions 
are extremely ingenious, and at the same time highly appropriate, 
without involving them in dangerous controversy. The particular 
doctrines of each communion are taught on Sundays, in the several 
places of worship, and by the clergy. The history of the New Tes- 
tament, the life and doctrines of Jesus Christ, and those doctrines in 
which all Christians agree, are taught in the schools on Saturdays, 
the day on which the Jews do not come to school, on account of their 
Sabbath. But those truths which are common to all religions, per- 
vade, are connected with, and are intimately mixed up with every 
branch of instruction, and every thing else may be said to be subor- 
dinate to them. 

The following is from Bache's " Report on Education in Europe." 

The results of the moral and religious instruction, communicated 
in and out of school, are fully shown in the character of the people of 
Holland; and these must be deemed satisfactory. Secto-rian instruc- 
tion is carefully kept out of the schools, while the historical parts of 
the Bible and its moral lessons are fully dwelt upon. There are 
various collections of Bible stories for this purpose, which are com- 
mented on by the teacher, and all the incidental instruction, so im- 
portant in a school, has the same tendency. Doctrinal instruction 
is given, according to an arrangement made with the churches of the 
various denominations when the school law was promulgated ; this 
instruction is imparted out of the school, on the half-holidays and Sun- 
days. Sometimes, when, as at the Hague, the pupils nearly all be- 
long to (me communion, a catechist attends at the school ; but even 
then, only those children whose parents wish it are present at the ex- 
ercises. • 



SCOTLAND. 

In 1615, an act of the Privy Council of Scotland empowered the 
bishops, along with the majority of the landlords or heritors, to es- 
tablish a school in every parish in their respective dioceses, and to 
assess the lands for that purpose. This act of the privy council was 
confirmed by an act of the Scotch Parliament, in 1633; and under 
its authority, schools were established in the lower and the more cul- 
tivated districts of the country. But the system was still far from 
being complete ; and means of obtaining elementary instruction con- 
tinued so very deficient, that it became necessary to make a more 
complete and certain provision for the establishment of schools. — 



79 

This was done by the famous act of 1696, the preamble of which 
states, thft " Our Sovereign Lord, con-siderino- lunv prejudicial tlie 
want of schools in many places had been, and how beneficial the es- 
tablishing and settling thereof will be to this church and kingdom, 
therefore, his Majesty, with advice and consent, &c." The act went 
on to order, that a school be established, and a schoolmaster appoint- 
ed in every parish ; and it further ordered that the landlords should 
be obliged to build a school-house, and a dwelling-house for the use 
of the master; and that they should pay him a salary, exclusive of 
the fees of his scholars: which should not fall short of 5/. lis. Id. a 
year, nor exceed 1 1/. 25. 2(1. The power of nominating and appoint- 
ing the schoolmaster was vested in the landlords and the minister of 
the parish ; and they were also invested with the power of fixing the 
fees to be paid him by the scholars. The general supervision of the 
schools was vested in the presbyteries in which they are respectively 
situated ; who have also the power of censuring, suspending, and 
dismissing the masters, without their sentence being subject to the 
review of any other tribujial. 

It has been usually expected that a Scotch parish schoolmaster, 
besides being a person of unexceptionable character, should be able 
to instruct his pupils in the reading of English, in the arts of writing 
and arithmetic, the more common and useful branches of practical 
mathematics, and that he should be possessed of such classical at- 
tainments as might qualify him for leaching Latin and the rudiments 
of Greek. 

It would be no easy matter to exaggerate the beneficial effects of 
the elementary instruction obtained at parish schools, on the habits 
and industry of the people of Scotland. It has given to that part of 
the empire an importance to which it has no claim, either from fer- 
tility of soil or amount of population. The universal diffusion of 
schools, and the consequent education of the people, have opened to 
all classes paths to wealth, honor and distinction. Persons of the 
humblest origin have raised themselves to the highest eminence in 
every walk of ambition, and a spirit of forethought and energy, has 
been widely disseminated. 

The best minds of Scotland are at this time directed to a recon- 
struction of the system of parochial schools, or to such an extension 
of its benefits, as will reach at once, the wants of the large towns, 
and of the sparsely populated parishes. Among the plans set forth, 
we have seen nothing more complete than the following, which is 
signed by some of the most distinguished names in Scotland. 

" The subscribers of this document, believing that the state of 
Scotland and the general feeling of its inhabitants justify and de- 
mand the legislative establishment of a comprehensive plan of na- 
tional education, have determined that an effort shall be made to 
unite the friends of this great cause on principles at once so general 
and so definite as to form a basis for practical legislation ; and with 
this view they adopt the following resolutions, and recominend them 
to the consideration of the country : — 



80 

1. That while it might be difficult to describe, with a near ap- 
proach to statistical precision, the exact condition of" Scotland at 
this moment in regard to education, there can be no doubt that, as a 
people, we have greatly sunk from our former elevated position, 
among educated nations, and that a large proportion of our youth 
are left without education, to grow up in an ignorance miserable to 
themselves and dangerous to society ; that this state of matters is the 
more melancholy, as this educational destitution is found chiefly 
among the masses of our crowded cities, in our manufacturing and 
mining districts, and in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, 
where the people are not likely spontaneously to provide instruction 
for themselves ; that the quality of education, even where it does ex- 
ist, is often as defective as its quantity; and that this is a state of . 
things requiring an immediate remedy. 

3. That the subscribers hold it to be of vital and primary impor- 
tance that sound religious instruction be communicated to all the 
youth of the land by teachers duly qualified ; and they express this 
conviction in the belief that there will never be any enlargement of 
education in Scotland, on a popular and national basis, which will 
not carry with it an extended distribution of religious instruction ; 
while, from the strong religious views entertained by the great mass 
of the people of this country, and the interest which they take in the 
matter of education, the subscribers can see in the increase of knowl- 
edge only an enlargement of the desire and of the capacity to com- 
municate a full religious education to the generation whose parents 
have participated in this advantage. 

3. That the parish schools of Scotland are quite inadequnte to the 
educational wants of the country, and are defective and objectionable 
in consequence of the smallness of the class invested with the pat- 
ronage, the limited portion of the community from which the teach- 
ers are selected, the general inadequacy of their remuneration, and 
the system of management applicable to the schools, inferring as it 
does the exclusive control of church courts ; that a general system 
of national education, on a sound and popular basis, and capable of 
communicating instruction to all classes of the community, is urgent- 
ly called for ; and that provision should be made to include in any 
such scheme, not only all the parish schools, but also all existing 
schools, wherever they are required by the necessities of the popula- 
tion, whose supporters may be desirous to avail themselves of its 
advantages. 

4. That the teachers appointed under the system contemplated by 
the subscribers should not be required by law to subscribe any relig- 
ious test; that Normal Schools for the training of teachers should be 
established; that, under a general arrangement for the examination 
of the qualifications of schoolmasters, the possession of a license of 
certificate of qualification should be necessary to entitle a teacher to 
become a candidate for any school under the national system ; and 
that provision should be made for the adequate remuneration of all 
teachers who may be so appointed. 



81 

5. That the duty and responsibility of communicating relicrious 
instruction to children have, in the opinion of tlie subscribers, been 
committed by God to their parents, and through ihem to such teach- 
ers as they may choose to intrust with that duty ; that in the numer- 
ous schools throughout Scotland, which have been founded and sup- 
ported by private contribution, the religious element has always held 
a prominent place ; and that, were the power of selecting the mas- 
ters, fixing the branches to be taught, and managing the schools, at 
present vested by law in the Heritors of Scotland and the Presbyte 
ries of the Established Church, to be transferred to the heads of fam- 
lies under a national system of education, the subscribers would 
regard such an arrangement as affording not only a basis of union 
for the great mass of the people of this country, but a far better se- 
curity than any that at present exists both for a good secular and a 
good Christian education. 

6. That in regard to a legislative measure, the subscribers are of 
opinion, with the late lamented Dr. Chalmers, that 'there is no other 
method of extrication,' from the difficulties with which the question 
of education in connection with religion is encompassed in this coun- 
try, than the plan suggested by him as the only practicable one, — 
namely, ' That in any public measure for helping on the education 
of the people, government [should] abstain from introducing the 
element of religion at all into their part of the scheme, and this, not 
because they held the matter to be insignificant — the contrary might 
be strongly expressed in the preamble of their act — but on the ground 
that, in the present divided state of the Christian world, they would 
take no cognizance of, just because they would attempt no control 
over, the religion of applicants for aid — leaving this matter entire to 
the parties who had to do with the erection and management of the 
schools which they have been called upon to assist. A grant by the 
State upon this footing might be regarded as being appropriately and 
exclusively the expression of their value for a good secular educa- 
tion. 

7. That in order to secure the confidence of the people of Scot- 
land generally in a national system of education, as well as to secure 
its efficiency, the following should be its main features : — 1st, That 
Local Boards should be established, the members to be appointed by 
popular election, on the principle of giving the franchise to all male 
heads of families being householders; and with these Boards should 
lie the selection of masters, the general management of the schools, 
and the right, without undue interference with the master, to direct 
the branches of education to be taught. 2d, That there should be a 
general superintending authority, so constituted as to secure the pub- 
lic confidence, and to be responsible to the country through Parlia- 
ment, which, without superseding the Local Boards, should see that 
their duties are not neglected — prevent abuses from being perpetra- 
ted through carelessness or design — check extravagant expenditure — 
protect the interest of all parties — collect and preserve the o-eneral 
statistics of education — and diffuse throughout the country, by com- 



82 

munication with the local boards, such knowledfre on the subject of 
education, and such enlightened views, as thair auth(3ritative position, 
and their comuiiind of aid from the highest intellects in the country, 
may enable them to communicate 

Were such a system adopted, the subscribers are of opinion that it 
would be quite unnecessary either for the legislature or any central 
authority to dictate or control the education to be imparted in the 
National Schools, or to prescribe any subject to be taught, or book to 
be used ; and should a measure founded on these suggestions become 
law, not only would the subscribers feel it to be their duty, but they 
confidently believe the ministers and religious communities in the 
various localities would see it to be theirs, to use all their influence 
in promoting such arrangements as, in the working of the plan, would 
eifectually secure a sound religious education to the children attend- 
ing the schools." 



IRELAND. 

The checkered experience of Ireland, — its dark and its brighf 
gi,5es. — forms one of the most instructive chapters in the history to 
popular education. It commences, according to the testimony of the 
earliest chroniclers, with institutions of learning, not only of earlier 
orio-in, but of higher reputation, than any in England or Scotland, — 
institutions Vvdiich were resorted to b}' English youth for instruction, 
who brouoht back the use of letters to their ignorant countrymen — 
According to Bedc and William of Malraesbury, this resort com- 
menced even so early as the seventh century, and these youth were 
not only taught, but maintiinod without service or reward. The 
o-reat college of Mayo wa.s called "the Mayo of the Saxons," because 
it was dedicated to the exclusive use of English students, who at one 
time amounted to no fewer than 2000. Bayle, on the authority of 
the historian of tlie-time, pronounces Ireland ''the most civilized 
country in Europe,* the nursery of the sciences" from the eighth to 
the thirteenth century, and her own writers are proud of pointing to 
the monastery of Lindisfarne, the college of Lismore, and the forty 
literary institutions of Borrisdole, as so many illustrative evidences 
of the early intellectual activity and literary munificence of the na- 
tion. But Ireland not only abounded with higher institutions, but 
there were connected with monasteries and churches, as early as the 
thirteenthcentury,teachersexpresslyset apart "for teaching poor schol- 
ars gratis." Whenthecountry was overrun by foreign armies, and torn by 
civif discord, and governed by new ecclesiastical authorities, set up by 
the conquerors, and not in harmony with the religion of the people, a 
change certainly passed over the face of things, and there follows a 
period of darkness and educational destitution, for which we find no 



*Thesc facts are stated on the authority of a speech of lion. Thomas Wysc, in 
the House of Commons, in 1835. 



83 

relief in turning to the history of English legislation in behalf of 
Ireland. Indeed there is not a darker page in the whole history of 
religious intolerance than that which records the action and legisla- 
tion of England for two centuries, toward this ill fated country, in this 
one particular. Even the statute of Henry VIII., which seems to be 
framed to carry out a system of elementary education already exist- 
ing before the new ecclesiastical authorities were imposed upon the 
country, was intended mainly to convert Irishmen into Englishmen. 
By that statute, every archbishop and bishop was bound to see that 
every clergyman took an oath "to keep, or cause to be kept, a school 
to learn English, if any children of his parish came to him to learn 
the same, taking for the keeping of the said school such convenient 
stipend or salary as in the said land is accustoraably used to be taken ;" 
and both higher and lower authorities, archbishops and their beneticod 
clergymen, are subjected to a fine for neglect of duty. The fatal error 
in this and in all subsequent legislation and associated effort for edu- 
cation in Ireland, until the last twenty years, was its want of nation- 
ality ; the schools were English and Protestant, and the people for 
whom they were established were Irish and Catholics, and every effort, 
by legislation or education, to convert Irishmen into Englishmen, and 
Catholics into Protestants, has not only failed, but only helped to sink 
the poor into ignorance, poverty, and barbarism, and bind both rich 
and poor more closely to their faith and their country. 

Every system of education, to be successful, must be adapted to the 
institutions, habits and convictions of the people. If this principle 
had been regarded in the statute of Henry VIII , Ireland, which had 
the same, if not a better foundation in previous habits and existing 
institutions, than either Scotland or Germany, would have had a sys- 
tem of parochial schools recognized and enforced by the state, but 
supervised by the clergy. This was the secret of the success of Lu- 
ther and Knox. What they did was in harmony with the convictions 
and habits of the people. So strangely was this truth forgotten in 
Ireland, that until the beginning of this century. Catholics, who con- 
stituted four-fifths of the population, were not only not permitted to 
endow, conduct, or teach schools, but Catholic parents even were not 
permitted to educate their own children abroad, and it was made an 
offense, punished by transportation, (and if the party returned it was 
made high treason.) in a Catholic, to act as a schoolmaster, or assist- 
ant to a schoolmaster, or even as a tutor in a private family. Such a 
law as that in operation for a century, coupled with legal disabilities 
in every form, and with a systen of legislation framed to benefit Eng- 
land at the expense of Ireland, would sink any people into pauperism 
and barbarism, especially when much, if not most, of the land itself 
was held in fee by foreigners, or Protestants, and the products of the 
soil and labor were expended on swarms of church dignitaries, state 
ofiicials, and absentee landlords. But even when these restrictions on 
freedom of education and teaching were removed in 1785. the grants 
of money by the Irish and Imperial Parliaments, down to 1825, were 
expended in supporting schools exclusively Protestant Upwards of 
$7,000,000 were expended on the Protestant Charter Schools, which 



84 

were supported by a society which originated in 1733, on the alleged 
ground '■ that Protestant English schools, in cortain countries inhabi- 
ted by Papists, were absolutely ne<jessary for their conversion." Bj 
a by-law of this society, the advantages of the institutions were lim- 
ited exclusively to the children of Catholic parents. On the schools 
of the " S(-ciety for discountenancing Vice," which originated in 1792, 
and which was soon converted into an agency of proselytism, the gov- 
ernment expended, between 1800 and 1827, more than a half million 
of dollars. In 1814, the schools of the "Kildare Place Society," 
began to receive grants from the Parliament, which amounted in some 
years to £-50.000. and on an average to £2-3,000, aud in the aggregate 
to near $2,000,000 ; and yet the regulations of the Society, although 
more liberal than any which preceded it. were so applied as practically 
to exclude the children of Catholics who constutited, in 1S30, 6,423.000. 
out of a population of 7,932.000. 

In 1806 commissioners were appointed by Parliament to inquire 
into the state of all schools, on public or charitable foundations, in 
Ireland ; who made fourteen reports. In their last report, in 1812 
they recommended the appointment of a board of commissioners, to 
receive and dispose of all parliamentary grants, to establish schools, 
to prepare a sufficient number of well qualified masters, to prescribe 
the course and mode of education, to select text books, and generally 
to administer a system of national education for Ireland. To obviate 
the difficulty in the way of religious instruction, the commissioners 
express a confident conviction that, in the selection of textbooks, "it 
will be found practicable to introduce not only a number of books in 
which moral principles should be inculcated in such a manner as is 
likely to make deep and lasting impressions on the youthful mind, 
but also ample extracts from the Sacred Scriptures themselves, an 
early acquaintance with which it deems of the utmost importance, 
and indeed indispensable in forming the mind to just notions of duty 
and sound principles of conduct ; aud that the study of such a volume 
of extracts from the Sacred Writings would form the best preparation 
for that more particular religious instruction which it would be the 
duty and inclination of their several ministers of religion to give at 
proper times, and in other places, to the children of their respective 
congregations." 

In 1 824, another comnrission was instituted to inquire into the na- 
ture and extent of the instruction afforded by different schools in 
Ireland, supported in whole or in part from the public funds, and to 
report on the best means of extending to all classes of the peoplethe 
benefit of education. This commission submitted nine reports, con- 
curring generally in the recommendations of the committee of 1805. 

In 1828, the reports of the commissioners were referred to a com- 
mittee of the House of Commons, who made a report in the same 
year, in which they state their object to be " to discover a mode in 
which the combined education of Protestant and Catholic might be 
carried on, resting upon religious instruction, but free from the sus- 
picion of proselytism." The committee therefore recommend the 
appointment of a board of education, with powers substantially the 



85 

same as possessed by the former commissioners. The following res- 
olution presents their views on the matter of religious education. 

'• That it is the opinion of this Committee, that for the purpose of 
carrying into eifect the combined literary and the separate religious 
education of the scholars, the course of study for four fixed d-a.ys in the 
week should be exclusively moral and literary; and that, of the two 
remaining days, the one to be appropriated solely to the separate re- 
ligious instruction of the Protestant children, the other to the sepa- 
rate religious instruction of the Uomau Catholic children. In each 
case no literary instruction to be given, or interference allowed on 
the part of the teachers, but the whole of the separate religious in- 
struction to be given under the superintendence of the clergy of the 
respective communions. That copies of the New Testament, and of 
such other religious books as may be printed in the manner hereinaf- 
ter mentioned, should be provided for the use of the children, to be 
read in schools, at such times of separate instruction only, and under 
the direction of the attending clergyman : — the established version 
for the use of the Protestant scholars, and the version published with 
the approval of the Roman Catholic bishops for the children of their 
communion." 

In 1S30, the subject was again considered by a select committee of 
the House on the state of the poor in Ireland, and the hope expressed 
that no further time would be lost in giving to Ireland the benefit of 
the expensive and protracted inquiries of the commissioners of IS05 
and 1825, and of the committee of 1828. In September, 1831, Mr. 
AVyse, author of the able volume eatitled " Educational Reform," a 
member of the House from Ireland, brought in a bill to establish a 
system of national education for Ireland, but it was not acted upon 
on account of the adjournment. 

In October, 1831, Mr. Stanley, then Secretary for Ireland, an- 
nounced, in a letter to the Duke of Leinster, Lord-Lieutenant of Ire- 
land, the intention of the Government to appoint a Board of Com- 
mission of National education. The Board were soon after appointed, 
consisting of the Duke of Leinster, the Protestant Archbishop of- 
Dublin, the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Rev. Dr. Francis Sadier, 
Rt. Hon. A. R. Blake, and R. Holmes, Esq , — three Protestants, two 
Catliolics, one Presbyterian, and one Unitarian. 

The Board of Commissioners have now been in existence about 
eighteen years. During that time they have encountered bitter op- 
position from able but ultra zealots in the Protestant and Catholic 
churches ; but. sustained by the Government under the administra- 
tion of all political parties, they have gone on extending their opera- 
tions, and accomplishing results which are worthy of the attentive 
study of every statesman and educator. The fruits of their labors 
are already visible, but they will be " read of all men" when another 
generation comes on the stage. 

The following are among the results of their measures : 

I. The Board have succeeded in establishing a system of National 
Education^ or have made the nearest approach to such a system, 
12 



which knows no distinction of party or creed in the children to whom 
it proffers its blessings, and at the same time it guarantees to parents 
and guardians of all communions, according to the civil rights with 
which the laws of the land invest them the power of determining 
what religious instruction the children over whom they have authority 
shall receive, and it prohibits all attempts at enforcing any, either on 
Protestant or Roman Catholic children, to which their parents or 
guardians object. 

" For nearly the whole of the last century, the Government of Ire- 
land labored to promote Protestant education, and tolerated no other. 
Large grants of public money were voted for having children edu- 
cated in the Protestant faith, while it was made a transportable of- 
fense in a Roman Catholic (and if the party returned, high treason) 
to act as a schoolmaster, or assistant to a schoolmaster, or even as a 
tutor in a private family.* The acts passed for this purpose contin- 
ued in force from 1709 to 1782. They were then repealed, but Par- 
liament continued to vote money for the support only of schools 
conducted on principles which were regarded by the great body of the 
Roman Catholics as exclusively Protestant, until the present system 
was established." 

" The principles on which they were conducted rendered them to a 
great extent exclusive with respect either to Protestants or to Roman 
Catholics ; Roman Catholic scliools being conducted on Roman Cath- 
olic principles, were, of course, objectionable generally to Protestants ; 
while Protestant schools, being conducted on Protestant principles, 
were equally objectionable to Roman Catholics; and being regarded 
by Roman Catholics as adverse establishments, they tended, when un- 
der the patronage of Goverement, and supported by public money, to 
excite, in the bulk of the population, feelings of discontent toward 
the state, and of alienation from it." 

" From these defects the National Schools arc free. In them the 
importance of religion is constantly impressed upon the minds of the 
children, through works calculated to promote good principles, and fill 
the heart with #love of religion, but which are so compiled as not to 
clash with the doctrines of any particular class of Christians. The 
children are thus prepared for those more strict religious exercises 
which it is the peculiar province of the ministers of religion to su- 
perintend or direct, and for which stated times are set apart in each 
school, so that each class of Christians may thus receive, separately, 
such religious instruction, and from such persons, as their parents or 
pastors may approve or appoint." 

The following Regulations will show the manner in which the 
Board have aimed to avoid the difficulty of religious instruction in 
schools composed of different denominations, as well as the prejudices 
of political parties : 



* See 8th Anne, c. 3, and 9tli WiUiam HI. c. 1. 



87 

As to Government of Schools ivit.h respect to Attendance and 'Relig- 
ious Instruction. 

"1. The ordinary school business, during wliich all children, of 
whatever denomination they may be, are required to attend, is to em- 
brace a specified number of hours each day. 

2. Opportunities are to be aiforded to the children of each school 
for receiving such religious instruction as their parents or guardians 
approve of. 

3. The patrons of the several schools have the right of appointing 
such religious instruction as they may think proper to be given there- 
in, provided that each school be open to cliildren of all communions; 
that due regard be had to parental right and authority ; that, accord- 
ingly, no child be compelled to receive, or be present at, any religious 
instruction to which his parents or guardians oiject; and that the 
time for giving it be so fixed, that no child shall be thereby, in effect, 
excluded, directly or indirectly, from the other advantages which the 
school affords. Subject to this, religious instruction may be given 
either during the fixed sclioolhours or otlierwise. 

4. In schools, toward the building of which the Commissioners 
have contributed, and which are, therefore, vested in trustees for the 
purposes of national education, such pastors or other persons as shall 
bo approved of by the parents or guardians of the children respect- 
ively, shall have access to theui in the scltojl-roum^ for the purpose of 
giving them religious instruction there, at convenient times to be ap- 
pointed for that purpose, whether those pastors or persons shall have 
signed the original application or otherwise. 

5. In schools not vested, but which receive aid only by way of sal- 
ary and books, it is for the patrons to determine whether religious 
instruction shall be given in the scJiool room or not: but if they do 
not allow it in the school-room, the children whose parents or guardi- 
ans so desire, must be allowed to absent themselves from the school, 
at reasonable times, for the j)urpose of receiving such instruction 
elsewhere. 

6. The reading of the Scriptures, either in the Protestant author- 
ized, or Douay version, as well as the teaching of catechisms, comes 
within the rule as to religious instruction. 

7. The rule as to religious instruction applies to public prayer and 
to all other religious exercises. 

8. The Commissioners do not insist on the Scripture lessons being 
read in any of the national schools, nor do they allow them to be read 
during the time of secular or literary instruction, in any school at- 
tended by children whose parents or guardians object to their being 
so read. In such case, the Commirsioncrs prohibit the use of them, 
except at the times of religious instruction, when the persons giving 
it may use these lessons or not as they think proper. 

9. Whatever arrangement is made in any school for giving relig- 
ious instruction, must he publicly notijitd in the school-room, in order 
that those children, and those only, may be present whose parents or 
guardians allow them. 



88 

10. If any other books tban the Holy Scriptures, or the standard 
Tbooks of the church to which the children using them belong, are em- 
ployed in communicating religious instruction, the title of each is to 
be made known to the Commissioners. 

11. The use of the books published by the Commissioners is not 
compulsory ; but the titles of all other books which the conductors 
of schools intend for the ordinary school business, are to be reported 
to the commissioners: and none are to be used to which they object ; 
but they prohibit such only as may appear to them to contain matter 
objectionable in itself, or objectionable for common instruction.as pe- 
culiarly belonging to some particular religious denomination. 

12. A registry is to be kept in each school of the daily attendance 
of the scholars, and the average attendance, according to the form 
furnished by the Commissioners." 

Respecting the Model Schools and Training Department, the Board 
remark in 1848 : 

It is a gratifying fact, that the good feeling which has always pre- 
vailed amongst the teachers of different religious denominations 
residing together in our training establishments, has suffered no in- 
terruption whatever during the last year of extraordinary public ex- 
citement. 

Whilst every attention has been paid to the improvement of the 
children in our Model Schools in the various branches of their secular 
education, the paramount duty of giving to them, and the teachers in 
training, religious instruction, has not been neglected by those e 
trusted with that duty. Upon this subject we deem it expedient to 
republish the statement made in our Report of last year, which is as 
follows ; — " The arrangements for the separate religious instruction 
of the children of all persuasions atttmding these schools, and al^o of 
the teachers in training, continue to be carried into effect every Tues- 
day, under the respective clergymen, with punctuality and satisfaction. 
Previously to the arrival of the clergyjnen, each of the teachers in- 
training is employed in giving catechetical and other religious instruc- 
tion to a small class of children belonging to his own communion. — 
These teachers attend their respective places of worship on Sundays; 
and every facility is given, both before and after Divine service, as 
well as at other times, for their spiritual improvement, under the di- 
rections of their clergy. 

The Board have succeeded in publishing and introducing a valua- 
ble scries of text books, maps and school requisites, prepared with 
great care, and furnished for a first supply, and at the end of every 
four '^est.v a gratuitously to each school, and at other times hcloiv cost. 
Great pains have been taken to exclude from all books published or 
sanctioned by them, every thing of a sectarian or party character, the 
upper and the nether millstone between which Ireland has been for 
two centuries crushed. The publication of this "Irish National Se- 
ries of School Books," has had the efleet already to reduce the price 
of all school books in England and Scotland, and to lead to the revis- 
ion of most of the standing text books, in order to compete with this 



89 

new competitor in the market. In their Fourteenth Report (for 184T) 
the Board remark: 

" We have the gratification to state tliat the demand for our school 
books, in England and Scotland, is progressively increasing. Many 
of our colonies, too, have been supplied during the year with large 
quantities ; and in some of them a system of public instruction for 
the poor, similar in its general character to that of the national sys- 
tem in Ireland, as being equally adapted to a population of a mixed 
character as to their religious persuasions, is likely to be e.-^tablished. 
AVe have sent books and requisites to Australia, British Guiana, Can- 
ada, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Gibraltar, and 
Malta. A complete series of our National School books was also 
sent to Lord Seatou, the Governor of Corfu ; and it is not improbable 
that they will be translated, at no distant period, into the Greek lan- 
guage, for the use of children attending schools in the Ionian Islands." 

Although much clamor has been raised against the Queen's Colle- 
ges, because, in the distracted state of Ireland in religious matters, 
the British Parliament has at last attempted to establish a plan of 
liberal education, the special purpose and profe.ssion of which is to 
communicate instruction in certain branches of human knowledge to 
classes which may be cemposed of young people belonging to various 
religious denominations, we believe there is no grrtund for alarm, or 
distrust, for the safety of the religious principles of the students who 
may resort to them. On the other hand, securities are provided, more 
protective and conservative than exist in any other academic institu- 
tion in the empire, which are open to other than students of one re- 
ligious denomination. 

At the ancient national universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and 
Trinity College, Dublin, there are no arrangenieracnts which even 
recognize the existence of any form of religious belief but that of the 
Established Church ; not only is the student who may hold acy other 
creed (in so far as such dissenting students are admitted at all) left 
without any spiritual superiotendence whatever, but the entire system 
of teaching and discipline is in the hands of members of the church 
established by law, and is regulated and administered in all respects 
in conformity with the doctrines and ritual of that church. Yet, Ro- 
man Catholics generally have long been in the habit of sending their 
sons without hesitation or scruple to the university of Dublin ; free- 
dom of admission to Oxford and Cambridge has always been one of 
the demands which Protestant dissenters have urged most clamor- 
ously; and no non-conformist community has ever put forth an au- 
thoritative denunciation of either the demand or the practice. 

In the Scotish universities the professors are all by law members of 
the Presbyterian Established Church ; any seasoning of theology, 
therefore, that may insinuate itself into the lectures delivered by 
them, or thiir mode of teaching, must be Presbyterian ; it may be 
Presbyterian of the strongest and, to all but the disciples of Calvin 
and John Knox, of the most offensive flavor. On the other hand, at 
least at Edinburg and Glasgow, there is no religious superintendence 
of the students whatever. So here is the extreme of rigor and exclu- 



90 

siveness. coTnbined with the extreme of laxity and neglect. Yet these 
universities are attended by members of all communions; and cer- 
tainly it is not the liberality of the sjstem in giving free admission to 
all sects which any body of dissenters has ever made matter of com- 
plaint. 

In University College, London, there is the same freedom of ad- 
mission for students of all descriptions as at the Scotch colleges with 
the same entire absence of religious superintendence as at Ediuburg 
and Glasgow ; and no religious test is applied to the professors any 
more than to the students. Many religious fathers of all denomina- 
tions, nevertheless, have been accustomed ever since it was established 
to send their sons to be educated in all the great branches of human 
learning at University College. 

In the first place, every professor in these Irish colleges, upon en- 
tering into office, signs a declaration promising and engaging that, in 
his lectures and examinations, and in the performance of all other 
duties connected with his chair, he will carefully abstain from teach- 
ing or advancing any doctrine, or making any statement, either de- 
rogatory to the truths of revealed religion, or injurious or disrespectful 
to the religious convictions of any portion of his class or audience. — 
And it is enacted, that, if he shall in any respect violate this engage- 
ment, he shall be summoned before the College Council, where, upon 
sufficient evidence of his having so tran.sgressed, he shall be formally 
warned and reprimnnded by the president; and that, if he shall be 
guilty of a repetition of said or similar offense, the president shall 
forthwith suspend him from his functions, and take steps officially to 
recommend to the Crown his removal from office. The appointments 
of the professors are all held during the pleasure of the Crown. A 
triennial visitation of each college is ordained to be held during the 
college session by a Board of Visitors which has already been ap- 
pointed by the Crown, and which comprises the heads of the Episco- 
palian, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic churches in Ireland. 

But further, every student is actually subjected to an extent of re- 
ligious superintendence such as is enforced nowhere else, unless it be 
only at Oxford and Cambridge. No ma.triculated student under the 
age of twenty-one years is permitted to reside except with his parent 
or guardian, or with some relation or friend to whose care he shall 
have been committed by his parent or guardian, and who shall be ap- 
proved of by the president of the college, or in a boarding-house li- 
censed by the president upon a certificate, produced by the person 
keeping it, of moral and religious character from his clergyman or 
minister. The relation or friend to whose care a student is committed 
must in all cases formally accept the charge of his moral and religious 
■conduct. Clergymen, each approved by the bishop, moder;itor, or 
constituted authority of his churcli or religious denomination, are ap- 
pointed by the Crown Deans of Residences, to have the moral care 
and spiritual charge of the students of their respective creeds resi- 
ding in the licensed boarding houses ; and it is provided that they 
shall have authority to visit such boarding-houses for the purpose of 
affording religious instruction to such students, and shall also have 



91 

power, with the concvirrenee of the president of the college, and of 

the authorities of their respective cliurciies, '• to make regulations for 
the due observance of the religious duties of such students, and for 
securing their regular attendance on divine worship." Finally, at the 
head of the list of offenses in the statutes of each college for which it 
is enacted that any student shall be liable to expulsion, are the fol- 
lowing : '• 1. Habitual neglect of attendance for divine worship at 
such church or chapel as shall be approved by his parents or guardi- 
ans ; 2. Habitual neglect of attendance on the religious instruction 
provided for students of his church or denomination in the licensed 
boarding house in which he may reside " 

The above account of the Queen's University in Ireland is drawn 
up principally from an article in the Companion to British Almanac 
for 185 1, and from the London Educational Register for 1&52. 



Extract from the Twelfth Annual Report of the Secretary of the 
JMassacliusetts Board of Education. 
For centuries, a leading feature in the policy of Great Britain to- 
wards Ireland, was the utter abolition of all education which did not 
conform to the government standard of theology, and was not admin- 
istered by teachers of its own choosing. None but a Protestant was 
allowed to keep a school. From 1709 to 1782, any Roman Catholic, 
who should presume to be a schoolmaster, or assistant to a school- 
master, or even a tutor in a private family^ was to be transported ; 
and if the party returned, then he was to be adjudged guilty of high 
treason, and to be hung, drawn and quartered ! A great portion of 
the present agony of starvihg, diseased, distracted Ireland, is directly 
referable to the ignorance which has resulted from those imperial in- 
terdicts against knowledge. No other acts of British oppression have 
been so fatal in driving sanity out of the head, and kindness out of the 
heart, of that maddened country, as the cruel laws bv which every 
child in Ireland was prohibited from nourishing himself with a grain 
of knowledge, unless he would swallow with it a scruple of theology. 
These are a few specimens taken from the great storehouse of history, 
showing how those who enact laws and organize public institutions, 
pre-determine the fate of the masses. And are not all tliose, who 
control legislation and lead public opinion among ourselves, adjured, 
by these admonitions of history, as well as by the voice of conscience, 
and the precepts of Christianity, to form a model idea of a healthy, 
industrious, frugal, temperate, wise. Christian Commonwealth, and 
then to exert all their facilities, and all their activities, in turning this 
idea into a living reality? 



Extract from a letter from Dublin., in the New York Tribune., May 

I o .r o 



1853. 



The two great subjects of discussion just now are Education and 
Religion. The former threatens the dissolution of our glorious Na- 
tional Education Board — the latter is agitating every corner of the 



92 

country, and tasking the ingenuity and energies of the " Irish Mission 
Association " ou the one hand, and the •■ Catholic Defence Associa- 
tion ' ou the other, to muster agencies and supply funds. 

Since the removal of Archbishop Murray and Primate Crollj-, the 
R. C members of the Board have been laboring to get " The Scrip- 
ture Extracts," which was the common religious ground for the children, 
excluded ; the peculiar religious iustruction having been always com- 
municated separately to the children by their respective instructors. 
Not being able to get a separate grant for the separate education of 
the lloman Catholic children in schools of their own, the determina- 
tion is to shut out, if possible, all religious teaching from the common 
education, — to make it all separate. So. now — after being used with 
the approbation of the^most distinguished ecclesiastics for twenty 
years — ihe '• Extracts " are put into the Index Espurgatorious at 
Kome. Of course no clergyman can sanction them. And as the books 
for elementary iustruction prepared under the sanction of the Board, 
and alone used in the schools, contain a great deal of Scriptural infor- 
mation, it IS appreliended the next onset will be made ou them. 

It was expected, and for a long time there was no ground for appre- 
hension that it should be otherwise, that the placing the entire of the 
pro^jcr and i^ccullar religious instruction under the priests, would se- 
cure their cordial cooperation in the national work of united common 
education. The great objection, at first, and all along, was from the 
Protestant Clergy. They would have the daily use of the authorized 
version of the Scriptures, as a part of the common education, made 
compulsory on all. The substitution of '• extracts," they called '• mu- 
tilating" and " murking" the Bible. Hence, the great body of them 
remain disconnected with the Board, and ^ve formed, as a substitute, 
the Church Education Society — though they may use the Scriptures 
as often as they please in the iustruction of the Protestant children. 

At first, we had the Hibernian Society, in which the authorized ver- 
sion of the Bible was the common ground of religious instruction. It 
was objected to, not by the People, nor by many of the Clergy, but by 
the Bishops. It was the " Protestant" version. Then came the Kil- 
dare-place Society, which obviated the difficulty by allowing the Douay 
version for the Roman Catholic children. It was objected to. The 
religious education should be so separate and distinct — under the 
Priests. Then the National Board was formed ; the religious instruc- 
tion was separated from the common education ; and nothing made a 
part of the latter but what the lloman Catholic Prelates sanctioned. 
Nqw. a new class of these have sprung up. Ultramontauism is in the 
ascendant. J.// education must be committed to the Clergy, — as I see, 
by the way, from accounts from Cincinnati, is beginning to be the 
claim in America. But though the opposition of the extreme sections, 
both Protestants and Roman Catholics, may curtail the extent and 
diminish the amount of education given at the National expense, I 
trust the Grovernment and Parliament will be firm in adhering to the 
Constitution of the National Board ; and if the objectors, on both 
sides, establish schools of their own, though the education will be more 
sectarian, it will of necessity be, in other respects, sound and solid. 



93 

ENGLAND. 

In 1S47, tbc "Lancasliire Public School Association," was formed 
at Manchester, and promulgated a plan for establishing schools for the 
county upon the basis of local representation and taxation, and non- 
interference with religious instruction. The objects of the associa- 
tion were set forth in public addresses, pamphlets, and newspapers, 
until the local agitation expanded into a national movement. A con- 
ference was held at Manchester on the 30th October, 1851, at which 
over 2,000 persons, many of them delegates from diiferent parts uf the 
kingdom, were present when it was agreed to convert the Lancashire 
Society into a " National Public School Association, to promote the 
establishment, by law, in England and Wales, of a system of free 
schools, which, supported by local rates,* and managed by local com- 
mittees, especially elected for that purpose by the rate-payers, shall 
impart secular instruction only ; leaving to parents, guardians, and 
religious teachers, the inculcation of doctrinal religion, to afford op- 
portunities for which, it is proposed that the schools shall be closed at 
stated times in each week.'' Both the county and national association 
have been instrumental in bringing before the public mind of England 
the right and duty of taxation, by the people themselves, for the sup- 
port of a system of public education, and of subjecting schools estab- 
lished under authority of law, and aided by parliamentary grant, or 
local taxation, to the management of such ofilcers as the people may 
elect, whether of the clergy or laity. The principles asserted by the 
association will be embodied in the report of a select committee of 
the House of Commons appointed to consider a bill to promote edu- 
cation in Manchester and Salford. The bill on which the committee 
was raised, was not introduced by the association, but as a substitute 
for it, by parties which are in favor of extending and improving the 
plan of governmental aid and inspection to schools in connection with 
religious communions now in operation. 

The first movement in parliament toward a system of national ed- 
ucation, was made in 1807, by Mr. Whitbread who introduced a bill 
into the House of Commons to establish a school in each parish for 
poor children, between the ages of seven and fourteen. The bill met 
with no favor. 

On the 2Ist of May, 1816, Mr. (now Lord) Brougham, a member 
of Winchelsea moved for the appointment of a select committee of 
the House of Commons " to inquire into the state of education of the 
lower orders of the metropolis," and to consider what may be fit to be 
done with respect to the children of paupers who shall be found beg- 
ging in the streets, or whose parents have not sent such children to 



* At this meeting a letter was read from Edward Lombe, Esq., the owner of an 
estate of 15,000 acres in the neighborhood of Norwich, transmitting a draft for 
.£500 ($2,500) "in aid of the objects of the association— the protestant right of pri- 
vate-jndgnicut in matters of religion, and the old Saxon right of local represen- 
tation — 

The holiest cause of pen or sword, 
That mortal ever lost or gained." 
13 



94 

any of the schools provided for the education of the poor. Mr. 
Brougham had already taken an active interest in the educational 
movements of the day. So early as 1803, he had assisted in extend- 
ing the institution of Mr. Lancaster, and in organizing the British 
and Foreign School Society, and had contributed two very able articles 
to the Edinburg Review in IS 10, and 1812, on the education of the 
poor, and in vindication of the methods of Lancaster, and the plan 
on which that society was proceeding in establishing schools without 
any religious test. He entered on the business of the committee with 
so much zeal and industry as to be able to submit a report on the lOth 
of June, which was followed by four additional reports — by which a 
flood of light was thrown on the educational destitution of the me- 
tropolis, on the inefficient manner in which many public schools were 
conducted, and the misapplications of funds destined to education. — 
In 1818, the committee was revived with more extensive powers, 
which enabled it to inrpxire into the education of " the lower orders" 
through the whole of England and Scotland, and by construction, 
into educational charities generally, including the universities and 
great public schools. This committee addressed circulars to every 
parish in England, Scotland, and Wales, by which materials were col- 
lected for a statistical exhibit, filling three folio volumes, of the state 
of education in the whole kingdom. The labors of this committee 
were closed by presenting a plao for national education, countenanced 
and supported by the State, in which an attempt was made to accom- 
modate the new system to the existing order of things, so as to improve 
and confirm schools already established, and harmonize the admin- 
istration of schools composed of children of all denominations with a 
conceded deference to the authority of the church of England. The 
bills embodying this plan were introduced in 1820, and were lost be- 
tween the conflicting jealousies, selfishness, and hatred of ecclesiasti- 
cal authorities, and professing religious communions — and the whole 
subject was postponed for nearly fifteen years before its consideration 
was again resumed in the English parliament. 

In 1836, Lord Brougham brought two bills before the House of 
Lords, and renewed the same in 1837, embodying the principles set 
forth in his resolutions of 183.5, and providing in addition for a local 
school committee, to be appointed by the town council in corporate 
towns, and the voters of the agricultural districts, as well as the im- 
position of a tax on property by the rate payers. These bills were 
fully explained and the reasons for their adoption eloquently urged, 
both in 1837, and in 1838, but without success. 

In 1839, in her speech at the opening of the session, the Queen 
prepared the country to expect some legislation on the subject, by ex- 
pressing the hope that parliament would do something for the relig- 
ious education of the people. Before the close of the session, Lord 
John Bussell. in a letter to the president of the Privy Council, com- 
municated the desire of the Queen, that he and four other members 
of the council, viz , the Lord Privy Seal, the Chancellor of the Ex- 
chequer, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, and the 
Master of the Mint, should form a Board, or Committee for the 



95 

consideration of all matters affecting the education of the people. 

The Committee of Council on Education were fortunate in their 
selection of Dr. James Phillip Kay, (now Sir James Kay Shuttle- 
worth) as Secretary. Dr. Kay had early interested himself in im- 
proving the condition of the manufacturing population, and in 1832 
published an elaborate essay on the " Moral and Physical condition of 
the working classes employed in the cotton manufacture of Manches- 
ter." He was soon after made one of the Assistant Commissioners of 
the Poor Law Board. 

Under his able administration the measures of the Committee of 
Council have been framed, and under his instruction and correspond- 
ence, these measures have become almost a system of national edu- 
cation. 



SCOTLz\ND. 

" It is a principle of our scheme, as I believe it is generally in 
schools in Scotland, that parents may withdraw their children from 
religious instruction altogether. They may avail themselves of any 
one branch of education and decline to avail themselves of any other 
branch. That liberty is conceded in most schools in Scotland." Dr- 
Gaiidlish. quoted by Dr. Cheever, 140. 



CANADA. 

The following extracts are taken from the " Annual Report of the 
Normal, Model and Common Schools, in Upper Canada, for the year 
1852:" 

Question of Religious Instruction^ in connection ivitJi our system of 
Public Instruction. 

The question of religious instruction has been a topic of voluminous 
and earnest discussion among statesmen and educationists in both 
Europe and America — has agitated more than one country on the con- 
tinent of Europe — has hitherto deprived England of a national system 
of education, permitting to it nothing but a series of petty expedients 
in varying forms of government grants to certain religious denomina- 
tions, while the great mass of the laboring population is unreached by 
a ray of intellectual light, and is " perishing for lack of knowledge," 
amidst the din of sectarian war about " religious education," and under 
the very shadows of the cathedral and the chapel. If I have not made 
this question a prominent topic of remark in my annual reports, it is 
not because I have undervalued or overlooked its importance. In my 
first and preliminary report on a system of public elementary instruc- 
tion for Upper Canada, I devoted thirty pages to the discussion of this 
subject (pp. 22-52), and adduced the experience and practice of the 
most educating countries in Europe and America respecting it. In 
preparing the draft of the school law, I have sought to place it where 
it has been placed by the authority of Government, and by the consent 



96 

of all parties in Ireland — as a matter of regulation by a National 
Board, and with the guards which all have considered essential. These 
regulations* have been prepared and duly sanctioned, and placed in 
the hands of all school authorities ; nor have I failed from time to 
time to press their importance upon all parties concerned. It is, how- 
ever, worthy of remark that in no instances have those parties who 
have thought proper to assail the school system, and myself personal- 
ly, on the question of religious instruction, quoted a line from what I 
have professedly written on the subject, or from the regulations which 
I have recommended ; while such parties have more than once pre- 
tended to give my views by quoting passages which were not at all 
written in reference to this question, and which contained no exposi- 
tion of my views on it. 

*The following are the regulations on the Constitution, and Government of Schools 
in respect to Religious and Moral Instruction, prescribed by the Council of Public 
Instruction for Upper Canada: 

" As Christianity is the basis of our whole system of elementary education, that 
principle should pervade it throughout. Where it cannot be carried out in mixed 
schools to the satisfaction of both Koman Catholics and Trotestants, the law pro- 
vides for the establishment of separate schools. And the common school act, four- 
teenth section, securing individual rights as well as recognizing Christianity, provides, 
' That in any model or common school established under this act, no child shall be 
required to read or study in or from any religious book, or to join in any exercise of 
devotion or religion, which shall be objected to by his or her parents or guardians : 
Provided always, that within this limitation, pupils shall be allowed to receive such 
religious instruction as their parents or guardians shall desire, according to the gen- 
eral regulations which shall be provided according to law.' 

"In tha section of the act thus quoted, the principle of religious instruction in the 
schools is recognized, the restriction within which it is to be given is stated, and the 
exclusive right of each parent and guardian on the subject is secured, without any 
interposition from trustees, superintendents, or the Government itself. 

" The common school being a day, and not a boarding, school, rules arising from 
domestic relations and duties are not reqinred; and as the pupils are under the care 
of their parents and guardians on Sabbaths, no regulations are called for in respect 
to their attendance at public worship. 

" In regard to the nature and extent of the daily religions exercfses of the school, 
and the special religious instruction given to pupils, the Council of Public Instruc- 
tion tor Upper Canada, makes the following regulations and recommendations : 

" 1. The public religious exercises of each school shall be a matter of mutual vol- 
untary arrangement between the trustees and teacher; and it shall be a matter of 
mutual voluntary arrangement between the teacher and the parent or guardian of 
each pupil, as to whether he shall hear such pupil recite from the Scriptures, or 
catechism, or other summary of religious doctrine and duty of the persuasion of such 
parent or guardian. Such recitations, however, are not to interfere with the regular 
exercises of the school. 

"2. But the principles of religion and morality should be inculcated upon all the 
pupils of the school. What the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland 
state as existing in schools under their charge, should characterize the instruction 
given in each school in Upper Canada. Tlie Commissioners state that ' in the na- 
tional schools the importance of religion is constantly impressed upon the minds of 
children, through the works calculated to promote good principles and fill tlie heart 
with love for religion, but which are so compiled as not to clash with the doctrines 
of any particular class of Christians.' In each school the teacher should exert his 
best endeavors, both by example and precept, to impress upon the minds of all chil- 
dren and youth committed to his careandinstruction, the principles of pietj-, justice, 
and a sacred regard to truth ; love to their country ; humanitv and univei'sal benevo- 
lence; sobriety, industry, frugality, chastity, moderation, temperance, and those 
other virtues which are the ornament of society and on which a free constitution of 
government is founded; and it is the duty of each teacher to endeavor to lead his 
pupils, as their ages and capacities will admit, into a clear understanding of the ten- 
dency of the above-mentioned virtues, in order to preserve and perfect the blessings 
of law and liberty, as well as to promote their future happiness, and also to point out 
to them the evil tendency of the opposite vices." 



97 

As sonje prominence has been given to this question during the 
year by individual writers, and some vague statements and notions 
put forth, I will oiFer a few remarks on it. 

1. My first remark is, that the system of common school instruction 
should, like the legislature which has established, and the government 
that administers it, be non-sectarian and national. It should be con- 
sidered in a provincial, rather than a denominational point of view — 
in reference to its bearing upon the condition and interests of the 
country at large — and not upon those of particular religious persua- 
sions as distinct from public interests, or upon the interests of one 
religious persuasion more than vipon those of another. And thus may 
be observed the diflference between a mere sectarian and a patriot — ■ 
between one who considers the institutions and legislation and gov- 
ernment of his country in a sectarian spirit, and another who regards 
them in a patriotic spirit. The one places his sect above his country, 
and supports or opposes every public law or measure of government 
just as it may or may not promote the interests of his own sect irre- 
spective of the public interests and in rivalship with those of other 
sects ; the other views the well-being of his country as the great end 
to be proposed and pursued, and the sects as among the instrumental- 
ities tributary to that end. Some, indeed, have gone to the extreme 
of viewing all religious persuasions as evils to be dreaded, and as far 
as possible proscribed ; but an enlightened and patriotic spirit rather 
views them as holding and propagating in common the great princi- 
ples of virtue and morality, which forms the basis of the safety and 
happiness of society ; and therefore as distinct agencies more or less 
promotive of its interests — their very rivalships tending to stimulate 
to greater activity, and, therefore, as a whole, more beneficial than in- 
jurious. I think a national system of public instruction should be in 
harmony with this national spirit. 

2. I remark again, that a system of public instruction should be in 
harmony with the views and feelings of the great body of the people, 
especially of the better educated classes. I believe the number of 
persons in Upper Canada who would theoretically or practically ex- 
clude Christianity in all its forms as an essential element in the edu- 
cation of the country, is exceedingly small, and that more than nine- 
tenths of the people regard religious instruction as an essential and 
vital part of the education of their offspring. On this, as well, as on 
higher grounds, I lay it down as a fundamental principle that relig- 
ious instruction must form a part of the education of the j'outh of our 
country, and that that religious instruction must be given by the sev- 
eral religious persuasions to their youth respectively. There would 
be no Christianity among us were it not for the religious persuasions, 
since they, collectively, constitute the Christianity of the country, and, 
separately, the several agencies by which christian doctrines and wor- 
ship and morals are maintained and diffused throughout the length and 
breadth of the land. If in the much that certain writers have said 
about and against " sectarian teaching," and against "sectarian bias" in 
the education of youth, it is meant to proscribe or ignore the relig- 
ious teaching of youth l>y sects or religious persuasions ; thou i.s it the 



98 

theory, if not the design of such writers to preclude religious truth 
altogether from the minds of the youth of the land, and thus prepare 
the way for raising up a nation of infidels ! But if, on the other hand, 
it be insisted, as it has been by some, that as each religious persua- 
sion is the proper religious instructor of its own youth, therefore each 
religious persuasion should have its own elementary schools, and that 
thus denominational common schools should supersede our present 
public common schools, and the school fund be appropriated to the 
denominations instead of to the municipalities ; I remark that this 
theory is equally fallacious with the former, and is fraught with con- 
sequences no less fatal to the interests of universal education than is 
the former theory to the interests of all Christianity. The history of 
modern Europe in general and of England in particular, teaches us 
that when the elementary schools were in the hands of the church, 
and the state performed no other office in regard to schools than that 
of tax-assessor and tax-gatherer to the church, the mass of the people 
were deplorably ignorant and, therefore, deplorably enslaved. In Up- 
per Canada, the establishment and support of denominational schools 
to meet the circumstances of each religious persuasion would not only 
cost the people more than five-fold what they have now to pay for 
school purposes, but would leave the youth of minor religious persua- 
sions, and a large portion of the poorer youth of the country, without 
any means of education upon terms within the pecuniary resources of 
their parents, unless as paupers, or at the expense of their religious 
faith. 

3. But the establishment of denominational common schools for 
the purpose of denominational religious instruction itself is inexpedi- 
ent. The common schools are not boarding, but day-schools. The 
children attending them reside with their own parents, and are within 
the charge of their own pastors ; and therefore the oversight and du- 
ties of the parents and pastors of children attending the common 
schools are not in the least suspended or interfered with. The chil- 
dren attending such schools can be with the teacher only from 9 o'clock 
in the morning until 4 o'clock in the afternoon of five or six days in 
the week, while during his morning and night of each week-day and 
the whole of Sunday, they are with their parents or pastors; and the 
mornings^ and evenings, and Sabbath of each week, are the very por- 
tions of time which convenience and usage and ecclesiastical laws pre- 
scribe for religious studies and instruction — portions of time during 
which pupils are not and cannot be with the teachei', but are and must 
be under the oversight of their parents or pastors. And the consti- 
tution or order of discipline of each religious persuasion enjoins upon 
its pastors and members to teach the summary of religious faith and 
practice required to be taught to the children of the members of each 
such persuasion. I might here adduce what is enjoined on this sub- 
ject by the Roman Catholic, and the several Protestant Churches ; 
iDut as an example of what is re(|uired, in some form or other, by the 
laws or rules of every religious persuasion, I will quote the 59th canon 
of tlio Churcli of Entrland. — which i.s as follows : 



99 

" Every Parson, Vicar, or Curate, upon every Sunday and Holy 
day, before Evening Prayei', shall, for half an hour or more, examine 
and instruct the youth and ignorant persons in his parish, in the Ten 
Commandments, the Articles of the Belief, and the Lord's Prayer ; 
and shall diligently hear, instruct, and teach them the Catechism set 
forth in the Book of Common Prayer ; and all fathers, mothers, mas- 
ters and mistresses, shall cause their children, servants, and apprentices, 
which have not learned the Catechism, to come to the Church at the 
time appointed, obediently to hear, and to be ordered by the Minister, 
until they have learned the same. And if any Minister neglects his 
duty herein, let him be sharply reproved upon the first complaint, and 
true notice thereof given to the Bishop or Ordinary of the place. If, 
after submitting himself, he shall willingly offend therein again, let 
him be suspended ; if so the third time, there being little hope that 
he will be therein reformed, then excommunicated, and so remain un- 
til he will be reformed. And, likewise, if any of the said fathers, 
mothers, masters, or mistresses, children, servants, or apprentices, 
shall neglect their duties, of the one sort of not causing them to come, 
and the other in refusing to learn, as aforesaid; let them be suspend- 
ed by their Ordinaries, (if they be nut cliildren.) and if they so per- 
sist by the space of a month, then let them be excommunicated." 

To require, therefore, the teacher in any common day scliool to 
teach the catechism of any religious persuasion, is not only a work of 
supererogation, but a direct interference with the disciplinary order 
of each religious persuasion ; and instead of providing by law for the 
extension of religious instruction and the promotion of Christian 
morality, it is providing by law for the neglect of pastoral and pa- 
rental duty, by transferring to the common school teacher the duties 
which their church enjoins upon them, and thus sanctioning immoral- 
ities in pastors and parents — which must, in a high degree, be injuri- 
ous to the interests of public morals no less than to the interests of 
children and of the common schools. Instead of providing by law 
for denominational day schools for the teaching of denominational 
catechisms in school, it would seem more suitable to enforce by law 
the performance of the acknowledged disciplinary duties of pastors 
and members of religious persuasions by not permitting their chil- 
dren to enter the public schools until their parents and pastors had 
taught them the catechism of their own church. The theory, there- 
fore, of denominational day schools is as inexpedient on religious 
grounds as it is on the grounds of economy and educatiimal extension. 
The demand to make the teacher do tlie canonical work of the clergy- 
men is as impolitic as it is selfish. Economy as well as patriotism 
requires that the schools established for all should be open to all upon 
equal terms, and upon principles common to all — leaving to each re- 
ligious persuasion the performance of its own recognized and appro- 
priate duties in the teaching of its own catechism to its own children. 
Surely it is not the province of government to usurp the functions of 
the religious persuasions of the country ; but it should recognize their 
existence, and therefore not provide for denominational teaching to 
the pupils in the day schools, any more than it should provide such 



TOO 

pupils with daily food and raiment, or weekly preaching or places of 
worship. As the state recognizes the existence of parents and the 
performance of parental duties by not providing children with what 
should be provided by their parents — namely, clothing and food ; — so 
should it recognize the existence of the religious persuasions and the 
performance of their duties by not providing for the teaching in the 
schools of that which each religious persuasion declares should be 
taught by its own ministers and the parents of its children. 

4. But, it may be asked, ought not religious instruction be given in 
day schools, and ought not government require this in every school? 
I answer, what may or ought to be done in regard to religious in- 
struction, and what the government ought to require, are two diiferent 
things. Who doubts that public worship should be attended and fam- 
ily duties performed ? But does it therefore follow that government 
is to compel attendance upon the one, or the performance of the other 1 
If our government were a despotism, and if there were no law or no 
liberty, civil or religious, but the absolute will of the Sovereign, then 
government would, of course, compel such religious and other instruc- 
tion as it pleased, — as is the case under despotisms in Europe, But 
as our government is a constitutional and a popular government, it is 
to compel no farther in matters of religious instruction than it is it- 
self the expression of the mind of the country, and than it is author- 
ized by law to do. Therefore, in the " General Regulations 07i the 
constitution and government of schools respecting religious instruc- 
tion^'' (quoted in a note on a preceding page) it is made the duty of 
every teacher to inculcate those principles and duties of piety and 
virtue which form the basis of morality and order in the state, while 
parents and school teachers and school managers are left free to pro- 
vide for and give such further religious instruction as they shall desire 
and deem expedient. If with us, as in despotic countries, the people 
were nothing politically or civilly but slaves and machines, command- 
ed and moved by the will of one man, and all the local school author- 
ities were appointed by him, then the schools might be the religious 
teachers of his will ; but with us the people in each municipality 
share as largely in the management of the schools as they do in 
making the school law itself They erect the school houses ; they 
employ the teachers ; they provide the greater part of the means for 
the support of the schools ; they are the parties immediately con- 
cerned — the parents and pastors of the children taught in the schools. 
Who then are to be the judges of the nature and extent of the relig- 
ious instruction to be given to the pupils in the schools, these parents 
and pastors, or the executive government, counselled and administered 
by means of heads of departments, who are changed from time to time 
at the pleasure of the popular mind, and who are not understood to 
be invested with any religious authority over the children of their 
constituents? 

5. Then, if the question be viewed as one of fact, instead of theory, 
•what is the conclusion forced upon us ? xire those countries in Eu- 
rope in which denominational day schools alone are established and 
permitted by government, the most enlightened, the most virtuous, 



101 

the most free, the most pvosporou.s. of all the countries of Europe or 
America ? Nay, tlie very reverse is the fact Aud it were not ditiicult 
to show that those denominational schools in England which were 
endowed in former ages, have often been the seats of oppressions, vices, 
and practices, that would not be tolerated in the most imperfect of the 
common schools in Upper Canada. And when our common schools 
were formerly, in regard to government control, chiefly under the 
management of one denomination, were the teachers and schools more 
elevated in their religious and moral character, than at the present 
time ? Is not the reverse notoriously the case ? And if inquiry be 
made into the actual amount of religious instruction given in what 
are professedly denominational schools, whether male or female, (and 
I have made the enquiry.) it will be found to consist of prayers not 
more frei![uently than in the common schools, and of reciting a por- 
tion of catechism each week— a thing which is done in many of the 
common schools, although the ritual of each denomination requires 
catechetical instruction to be given elsewhere and by other parties — 
So obviously unnecessary on religious grounds are separate denomi- 
national schools, that two school houses which were built under the 
auspices of the Church of England for parish schools of that church — 
the one at Cobourg, by the congregation of the Archdeacon of York, 
and the other in connection with Trinity Church, Toronto E ist — have, 
after fair trial, been converted for the time being into common school 
houses, under the direction of the Public Boards of School Trustees 
in Toronto and Cobourg 

6. I am persuaded that the religious interests of youth will be 
much more effectually cared f)r and advanced, by insisting that each 
religious persuasion shall fulfil its acknowledged rules and obligations 
for the instruction of its own youth, than by any attempt to convert 
for tliat purpose the common diiy schools into denominational ones, 
and thus legislate for the neglect of duty on the part of pastors and 
parents of the different religious persuasions. Tlie common day school 
and its teacher ought not to be burthened with duties which belong 
to the pastor, the parent, and the church The education of the youth 
of the country consists not merely of what is taught in the day school, 
bat also what is taught at home by the parents and in the church by 
the pastor. And if the religious part of the education of youth is, in 
any instance, neglected or defective, the blame rests with the pastors 
and parents concerned, who, by such neglect, have violated their own 
religious canons or rules, as well as the express commands of the Holy 
Scriptures. In all such cases pastors and parents are the responsi- 
ble, as well as the guilty parties, and not the teacher of the common 
school, nor the common school system. 

7. But in respect to colleges and other high seminaries of learning, 
the case is different. Such institutions cannot be established within 
an hour's walk of every man's door. Youth, in order to attend them, 
must, as a general rule, leave their homes, and be taken from the daily 
oversight and instruction, of their parents and pastors During this 
period of their education, the duties of parental and pastoral care aod 

14 



102 

instruction must be suspended, or provision made for it in connection 
with such institutions. Youth attending colleges and collegiate sem- 
inaries are at an age when they are most exposed to temptation — • 
most need the best counsels in religion and morals — are pursuing 
studies which must involve the principles of human action, and the 
duties and relations of common life. At such a period and under 
such circumstances, youth needs the exercise of all that is tender and 
vigilant in parental aii'ection, and all that is instructive and wise in 
pastoral oversight ; yet they are far removed from both their pastor 
and parent. Hence what is supplied by the parent and pastor at home, 
ought, as far as possible, to be provided in connection with each col- 
lege abroad. And, therefore, the same reason that condemns the es- 
tablishment of public denominational day schools, justifies the estab- 
lishment of denominational colleges, in connection with which the 
duties of the parent and pastor can be best discharged. 

Public aid is given to denominational colleges, not for denominational 
purposes, (which is the special object of denominational day schools.) 
but for the advancement of science and literature. alone, because such 
colleges are the most economical, efficient, and available agencies for 
teaching the higher branches of education in the country ; the aid be- 
ing given, not to theological seminaries, nor for the support of theo- 
logical professors, but exclusively towards the support of teachers of 
science and literature. Nor is such aid given to a denominational 
college until after a large outlay has been made by its projectors in 
the procuring of premises, erecting or procuring and furnishing build- 
ings, and the employment of professors and teachers — evincive of the 
intelligence, disposition and enierprise of a large section of the com- 
munity to establish and sustain such an institution. 

It is not, however, my intention to discuss the question of recogniz- 
ing and aiding denominational colleges in a system of public instruc- 
tion. My object in the foregoing remarks is to show that the objections 
against the establishment of a system of denominational day schools, 
do not form any objection to granting aid to denominational colleges 
as institutions of science and literature, and open to all classes of 
youth who may be desisous of attending them. 

The more carefully the question of religious instruction in connec- 
tion with our system of common schools is examined, the more clearly, 
I think, it will appear that it has been left where it properly belongs 
— with the local school municipalities, parents and managers of schools 
— the government protecting the right of each parent and child, but 
beyond this and beyond the principles aad duties of moralities common 
to all classes, neither compelling nor prohibiting — recognizing the 
duties of pastors and parents, as well as of school trustees and teach- 
ers, and considering the united labors of all as constituting the sys- 
tem of education for the youth of the country. — [pp. 261-267. 

Objections to the School System. 
I will now advert to some objections whicli have been made against 
the school law and the existing school system : — 



103 

1. Objections of certain opposers of the Separate School clauses of 
the Law. — The first objections which I shall notice, relate to that 
feature of the school law which permits, under any circumstances, the 
establishment of a Protestant or Roman Catholic separate school. 

On the theory involved in this provision of the law, or on the pol- 
icy of introducing it in the first place, I have nothing to say. But it 
is my deliberate and decided opinion — greatly strengthened by the 
experience and observation of the last year or two — that the abolition 
of this provision of the school law would greatly impede the advance- 
ment of the system, and do injury to all parties concerned ; and I 
entreat every friend to the continued and unparalleled prosperity of 
our school system, to abstain from all agitation and opposition against 
the provision of the school law for separate schools. I think it nec- 
essary, and but respectful, at the same time, to give my reasons for 
this opinion and counsel. 

1. Let it be observed, that it is only when the teacher or teachers 
are Roman Catholics, that a Protestant separate seliool can be estab- 
lished, and only when the teach ir or teachers are Protestants, that a 
Roman Catholic separate school can be established. When once es- 
tablished, each school can be continued, as long as the parties establish- 
ing it shall comply with the reipurements of the law. 

2. This provision for separate schools was introduced into the 
school law in 1S41, and has been continued in each of the four school 
acts which have since been passed by the Legislature. 

3. This and all the other provisions of the school law^ have been 
considered from time to time, as unconnected with party politics or 
political parties. It is a singular faet, that four of the five school 
acts by means of which our school system has been thus far developed 
and sustained, were brought into the Legislature, and passed, under 
the auspices of four diflerent administrations of government. Es- 
pecially in 1850, when the whole school law underwent the most care- 
ful scrutiny and revision, and was placed upon its present foundation, 
it was agreed by the leading men of different political parties, that 
the interests and politics of parties should not be allowed, in any way 
whatever, to influence the consideration and interests of the school 
system. To that fact, and to the influence of the noble example thus 
given, upon the country at large, is our school system largely indebt- 
ed for its unrivaled success. I deprecate any departure from such a 
course; I deprecate making this or any other provision of the' school 
law, a political party watchword, or a " plank " in a political party 
" platform." The bitterest enemy of our school system could not de- 
vise a more effectual method of impairing its usefulness and impeding 
its progress, if not ultimately subverting it altogether, than by draw- 
ing it into the vortex of political partizanship, and eugulphing it in 
the whirlpool of political passions and sectarian animosities. 

4. It is at variance with the principles of sound legislation and 
government to deprive any class of persons of any rights or privileges 
(whether rightly or wrongly conferred in the first instance) from the 
possession of which no public evils or wrongs have resulted. Now no 
evils have resulted or are likely to result from the len;al provision for 



104 

sepnrate schnols. Though this provision has been in existence twelve 
M'ars, the miinber of separate schools, both Protestant and Roman 
Ccitho ic, never exceeded 50. According to the last official returns, 
their number is only 2"), ot which four are colored, three are Protes- 
tant, and ei^^ldecn are Roman Catholic. Were they twice as numerous 
as they are, they would not affect the general operations and success 
of the school system. That system never had so strong a hold upon 
the public mind, and never was so prosperous, as at the present time. 
Tf the existence of the provision of the law for separate schools has 
not subverted, nor weakened, nor impeded the progress of the school 
system during twelve years of its infancy and weakness, it is absurd 
to suppose that that provision will endanger the system now that it 
has acquired strength and maturity, and is becoming interwoven with 
the warmest sympathies and dearest interests of the people generally. 
5. The existence of this provision for separate schools, while it is 
practically harmless to the school system, prevents opposition and 
combinations which would otherwise be formed against it. Were there 
no such provision, how easily could tlie whole of one large religious 
persuasion be wrought up into vehement opposition to the school sys- 
tem ; how readily would individuals and small sections of other par- 
ties of the community, unite with such an opposition upon similar 
grounds, but with opposite objects in view; how promptly would a 
large number of persons in every country, opposed, upon selfish 
grounds, to all school rates on property, rise up under the pretexts of 
religious zeal against -state schoolism." In such circumstances, the 
school system would indeed be in danger, if not speedily overthrown. 
The existence of the provision for separate schools, averts such oppo- 
sition and renders such combinations impossible ; it fui'nishes a safety 
valve for the explosioa and evaporation of those feelings which would 
otherwise be arrayed against any national school system. The ex- 
emption of our school system from such opposition and combinations 
for its subversion and overthrow, has no doubt contributed to its more 
rapid growth and wider success. 

6 The existence of the provision for separate schools has, in my 
opinion, averted, and does avert, evils from other parties — parties 
amonc whom the few separate schools chiefly exist. We have only to 
look to other states and countries to find examples of prohibitions, 
by ecclesiastical authority, to the youth of a large portion of the com- 
munity from attending the public schools at all, because of their al- 
leged danger to religious faith and morals; and in consequence of 
such prohibitions, many thousands of youth have 1 een seen growing 
up deprived of all school education; — it being maintained that it is 
better for our youth to grow up without ability to read or write, than 
^ to have their religious faith corrupted or endangered From official 
intimations given, there is every reason to believe tiiat such prohibi- 
tions would be made in Upper Canada, as they have, indeed, been 
piade in several places The result would be the growing up amongst 
ps of many thousand youth wholly uneducated, and inveterately hos- 
tile to their fellow citizins of other religious persua>ions But with 
^he provision in the law foj- establishment of separate schools, those 



105 

ecclesiastics who prohibit the youth of their flocks from attending the 
public schools, are morally and literally compelled to see them pro- 
vided with other schools: and wliere they neglect or fail to do the 
latter, they cannot honorably prohibit youth from the advantages of 
the former. Thus does this provision of the law afford a protection, 
as well as means, for securing to great numbers of youth a school ed- 
ucation of which they would otherwise be deprived. 

7. Keligious minorities in school municipalities of Lower Canada, 
have the protection and alternative of a separate school ; and those 
minorities (being there chiefly Protestants) attach importance to this 
provision Religious minorities in Upper Canada, whether Protes- 
tant or Roman Catholic, cannot be fairly denied that relative protec- 
tion or right which, under the same legislature, they enjoy in Lower 
Canada. 

8. The most, and, in my opinion, only effectual 'method of causing 
the ultimate discontinuance and abandonment of separate schools, is 
to retain the existing provision of the law on the subject. That pro- 
vision secures all that is granted to the dissenting minority of any 
municipality in Lower Canada, all that can be equitably asked for by 
such minority in any municipality of Upper Canada. I do not think the 
grounds on which separate schools are established, are valid ; I do not 
think there is any reasoHable necessity for such schools ; I think the law 
provides amply for the protection of the religious faith and morals 
of all classes in the public schools; I think those who establish separate 
schools voluntarily and needlessly place themselves and their children 
at a disadvantage in regard to sound education and in relation to the 
community at large ; I think it is impossible to make, as a general 
rule, the separate schools as efficient and cheap as the public schools; 
I think no other schools can rtand long in competition with the public 
free schools, especially in our cities, towns, and villages. But it is 
for the parties concerned to judge of their own interests and inclina- 
tions, not me. I am persuaded nothing but actual experiment, will 
satisfy them ; and I am equally persuaded that that experiment, the 
longer and more extensively it is tried, will produce only the deeper 
and wider conviction as to ihe disadvantage and inexpedience of sep- 
arate schools Experience and observation will teach the parties con- 
concerned, that their fellow citizens of other religious persuasions are 
not the unbelievers and dangerous characters they are represented to 
be ; that they have more interests and feelings in common with them, 
than in opposition to them ; that the tendencies of the age, and of all 
the institutions and enterprises of our country, are to cooperation and 
union among all classes of citizens, rather tlian to isolation and es- 
trangement from each other ; that there is no part of the civil and social 
economy in which this general cooperation and unity are more inijjortant 
and advantageous to all parties, than in the mental development of the 
whole youthful population of the country, and the diffusion of general 
know^.'dge ; that as all situations of public trust and emolument in 
our country are directly or indirectly depending upon the elective 
voice of the people, every man is inflicting an injury upon his chil- 
dren, who seeks to isolate them from that acquaintance and inter- 



1 

course and coraniunity of feeling with their fellow citizens, which, in 
the very nature of things, is necessary to secure general confidence 
and tavor. These silent and natural, but powerful, influences and 
obvious considerations will be more decisive and eifective, as to the 
multiplication and perpetuation of separate schools, than all the arbi- 
trary legislation that can be invoked on the subject. The burdens and 
disadvantage which are voluntarily embraced and selfincurred, can- 
not be complained of a grievance, and will not be long regarded as 
a privilege. — [pp. 19 to 22. 

Regulations resjoccting Religious Instruction and Exercises in the 

Schools. 

Objections to this Feature of the System. — Nothing has been elicited 
by the experience, observations, and discussions of another year to 
modify the conclusions which had been adopted as to the regulations 
in respect to religious instruction and^exercises in the schools. I ex- 
plained and remarked on these regulations at some length in my last 
annual report. I need add but little to what I then stated, and 
which will be found in Appendix G to this Report, No. 4, page 261. 
In the several petty and personal criticisms which have been publish- 
ed on my remarks, I have read nothing to weaken their force, or that 
has seemed to merit notice. All theories which transfer to the day- 
schoolmaster, between the hours of nine o'clock in the morning and 
four in the afternoon, during five days of the week, the obligations 
and duties which the Holy Scriptures, the primitive ages of the 
Christian Church, and the constitutions of all religious persuasions, 
enjoin upon parents and clergy, must be unsound and vicious in prin- 
ciple, and immoral in tendency. All theories which made the State 
the servant and creature of the Church is, as all history demonstrates, 
degrading to the former and corrupting to the latter. All theories 
which leave any portion of the population without a public provision 
for instruction in the elements of a practical education, and at vari- 
ance with the principles and ends of good government, and hostile 
to the rights and interests of men. All theories which compel, by 
human enactment, states or communities of men in respect to forms 
and exercises of religion, infringe the prerogative of Jehovah Him- 
self; trample upon the individual responsibility of man to his Maker ; 
and involve the assumptions on which have been based the most grind- 
ing politico-ecclesiastical despotisms and cruel persecutions that have 
cursed mankind and crimsoned the Church of Grod. 

If the right of local self-government is invested or recognised in an 
incorporated community, that right is as inviolable in respect to the 
smallest school municipality as in respect to the largest, Province or 
State. Facilities may be provided and recommendations may be 
given as to the mode of exercising that right ; but the adoption of 
such recommendations is at the discretion of the municipality itself 
Penalties, in the form of pecuniary losses, or in any other form,^o en- 
force such recommendations in exercises of religion, is an infringe- 
ment of a right sacred to every man as a moral agent, as well as to 
every free community. This painciple is so obvious, that it was recog- 



107 

nized and acted upon in Upper Canada, long before the creation of 
our present municipalities and the large discretionary powers with 
which they are invested. The utmost that a Provincial Board of Ed- 
ucation thought proper to do in those days, was to make the following 
recommendations, after the passing of the school law of 18 IG: — 

" 1. That the labors of the day commence with prayer. 

"2. That they conclude with reading publicly and solemnly a few 
verses of the JSew Testament, proceeding regularly through the Gos. 
pels. 

"3. That the forenoon of each Saturday be devoted to religious 
instruction." 

In those days there was nothing whatever in the school laiv on the 
subject of religious exercises and instruction, about which some per- 
sons talk so much now-a-days ; the most intemperate and vicious char- 
acters were employed as teachers ; there was no provision to give eft'oct 
to the above recommendation, or even to put them in the hands of 
school trustees ; they were scarcely known, if known at all, beyond 
the columns of one or two of the few oewspapers that were then pub- 
lished ; no steps whatever were taken to enforce them ; and every 
person acquainted with the state and character of the schools of those 
times, knows that in not one school out of ten, if in one out of twen- 
ty, were there daily prayers and Scripture reading, or religious in- 
struction of any kind, and that where anything of the kind was 
practiced, it was done at the option of the trustees and teacher of the 
school. Let any one compare the above quoted recommendations, 
with the existing regulations and recommendations on the subject, 
as given in the note to No. 4 in Appendix G- to this report, page 261, 
and he cannot fail to be impressed with the gross inconsistency of 
those who, though the architects and advocate of the former, are the 
assailants of the latter as essentially defective and even irreligious ! 
Perhaps a more remarkable example of blind partizanship could 
hardly be selected — an example, I believe, little approved of, or its 
spirit little participated in, by any considerable portion of the com- 
munity. — [pp. 27-29. 



M/VSSACHUSETTS. 

Extract from the Twelfth Annual Rejoort of the Secretary of the 
Massachusetts Board of Education. 

The Colonial. Provincial, and State history of Massachusetts 
shows by what slow degrees the rigor of our own laws was relaxed, 
as the day-star of religious freedom slowly arose after the long, black 
midnight of the Past. It was not, indeed, until a very recent period, 
that all vestige of legal penalty or coercion was obliterated from our 
statute book, and all sects and denominations were placed upon a 
footing of absolute equality in the eye of the law. Until the ninth 
day of April, 1821, no person, in Massachusetts, was eligible to the 



108 

office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Counsellor, or to that of 
senator or representative in the General Coart, unless he would make 
oath to a belief in the particular form of religion adopted and sanc- 
tioned by the State. And until the eleventh day of November, 
1833, every citizen was taxable, by the constitution and laws of the 
State, for the support of the Protestant religion, whether he were a 
Protestant, a Catholic, or a believer in any other faith. Nor was it 
until the tenth day of March, 1827, (St. 1826, ch. 143, ^ 7.) that it 
was made unlawful to use the Common Schools of the Slate as the 
means of proselyting children to a belief in the doctrines of particu- 
lar sects, whether their parents believed in those doctrines or not. 

All know the energetic tendency of men's minds to continue in a 
course to which long habit has accustomed them. The same law is as 
true in regard to institutions administered by bodies of men, as in 
regard to individual minds. The doctrine of momentum, or head- 
way, belongs to metaphysics, as much as to mechanics. A statute 
may be enacted, and may even be executed by the courts, long before 
it is ratified and enforced by public opinion. Within the last few 
years, how many examples of this truth has the cause of temperance 
furnished ! And such was the case, in regard to the law of 1827, 
prohibiting sectarian instruction in our Public Schools. It was not 
ea-y for committees, at once, tn withdraw or to exclude the books, nor 
for teachers to renounce the habits, by which this kind of instruction 
kad been given. Hence, more than ten years subsequent to the pass- 
age of that laWj at the time when I made my first educational and 
official circuits over the State, I found books in the schools, as strictly 
and exclusively doctrinal as any on the shelves of a tlieological library. 
I heard teachers giving oral instruction, as strictly and purely do:- 
trinal, as any ever heard from the pulpit, or from the professor's 
chair. And more than this; I have now in my possession, printed 
directions, given by committee men to teachers, enjoining upon 
them the use of a catechism, in school which is wholly devoted to an 
exposition of the doctrines of one of the denominations amongst us. 
These directions bear date a dozen years subsequent to the prohibi- 
tory law, above referred to. I purpo.sely forbear to intimate what 
doctrine or what denomination was ^"^ faoored" in the language of the 
law, by these means ; because I desire to have this statement as im- 
personal as it can be. 



109 

OPINIONS OF WRITERS UPON THE SUBJECT OF THE BIBLE 
AND RELIGION IN SCHOOt^S. 

PREFATORY REMARKS. 

After my report was nearly completed, I obtained and read the 
work of Dr. Cheever on "The Right of the Bible in the Public 
Schools." It is an able statement of all the arguments for the use of 
the Bible in public schools. Dr. C. argues that morality itself cannot 
be taught without religion, and that they cannot be disconnected. 
This is, to a certain extent, true, and makes one of the great difficul- 
ties of the question. With all that Dr. Cheever and Mr. Webster, 
and others whom he quotes, say upon the importance of Christian 
education, I fully agree. The question relates to the proper mode 
and place of giving it. The Dr. argues that a large portion of the 
children, if they did not obtain some knowledge of Christianity in the 
schools, would never get any at all. If this is true, would it not argue 
a great want of a proper zeal and attention among the Christians of 
our land ? 

But Dr. C. does not differ so much m practice^rom the plan I have 
proposed as would seem at first sight. A great part of his arguments 
are directed against the right claimed for any one single Catholic, or 
other person, to exclude the Bible entirely. I have advocated no such 
right, but so far as the law is concerned, I place the Bible on the 
same ground as other books. Dr. Cheever himself (pages 44 and 69) 
would allow Roman Catholics to use their Douay version in a class 
by themselves. And (page 52) he would allow parents to say whether 
their children should join in the reading or not. 1 he difference be- 
tween us is this : Dr. Cheever would allow this as di favor, an indul- 
gence, if I understand him aright, for, on page 51, he asserts the right 
to require pupils to read in the Bible, and maintains that it is no more 
compulsion than to require them to read in any other book. This is 
true, but I would not have pupils required to read from any book to 
which their parents had conscientious objections. What he would 
allow as a favor, I would acknowledge as a moral and legal right. 

Dr. C. refers to the case of an idolater, whose conscience might 

require him to destroy his own children, and to the case of a man 

who mjght conscientiously practice polygamy ; and asks, would the 

Legislature permit it out of regard to their consciences? Probably 

not. These cases seem to me to stand upon entirely different grounds 

from the right of freedom of opinion. These are cases entirely within 
15 



110 

the competency and rightful authority of the Legislature to regulate, 
and we should all probably agree in the good sense and moral pro- 
priety of prohibiting them. 

But there is one credit which certainly belongs to Dr. Cheever 
beyond almost any Protestant writer upon the subject. He has not 
only the ability to see, but the candor and boldness to admit and state 
the full consequences of the doctrines he maintains. Catholics we 
know come out boldly ; and so does Dr. Cheever. Claiming, as Dr. 
Cheever does, that this is a case where the majority should govern, 
and that the " greater amount of conscience" should be respected, 
he frankly admits (page 63) that " if it be found on the side of the 
Bible, it ought to prevail in the right to have the Bible ; if it be found 
against the Bible, it ought to prevail in the right to exclude the Bible," 
and that whether it be found on the side of Protestantism or of 
Romanism, it ought to prevail. He admits (page 66) the right of a 
Jewish government to teach the Talmud, and of Mahometans to teach 
the Koran in schools. They have the right " both by majority and 
by conscience." 

Now Dr. Cheever himself is no persecutor : the references we have 
given above (44, 52, 69) show that he has none of this spirit; and 
yet it may be well to consider whether the principles he advocates 
(pages .51, 63, 66, &/C.) are not the same principles which have been 
used in foreign countries by Kings, Popes and Priests to justify their 
forcing their own religion upon a minority ; the same principles which 
drove our forefathers away in exile from their homes to the then New 
England wilderness. 

We now commence a series of extracts from different writers upon 
this question, writers of all denominations. Catholic and Protestant, 
giving their different views. We wish the people to see and hear all 
sides. It is only in this way that they can learn the difficulties which 
surround the question, and learn charity and forbearance for those 
who differ from them. 

We find these difficulties very ably and comprehensively stated in 
an article in one of our popular magazines, Harper's for July, 1853 : 

" All great questions have two sides to them. They would not be 
great questions if it were not so. A conviction of this is as essential 
to the correctness and clearness of our reasoning, as to the kindness 
and forbearance of our conclusions. Not that truth is indifferent, or 
is to be found by indolently travelling some convenient via media ; 
moral and political truth is as fixed in its principles as the mathemati- 
cal, but the interests, and passions, and depravities of mankind present 



Ill 

difficulties of application which have no place in the purely specula- 
tive. No mental faculty, therefore, is of higher value than that by 
which we are enabled to view qu(!stions from a foreign stand-point, 
and to get ourselves into the spirit of ages, and- circumstances, And 

modes of thinking, remotely diverse from our own." 

********** 

" Among ourselves, three parties have already developed them- 
selves. More will probably arise; but they will all become arranged 
under these primary divisions. There is the Protest;) nt Evangelical 
interest — we use the name not as the most appropriate in itself, but 
as the best that can be employed if we would get rid of the vagueness 
which attaches to the first part of the compound — there is the Roman- 
ist — and there is the Infidel. The latter might be complained of as 
an improper and injurious term ; but we find nothing more conven- 
ient, and, in fact, more just, to denote those of every kind who would 
make education exclusively secular, and who maintain this ground, 
either through their dislike to the more serious aspects of religious 
truth, or because they claim it as the only possible way of avoiding 
the difliculties which are pressed upon the subject by the conflicting 
demands of the other two parties. They are Infidels, or, if they 
would prefer the name, Libaralixts, in regard to the belief that would 
hold the secular and the physical in education to be not only imper- 
fect, but positively pernicious, when pursued to the exclusion of the 
spiritual. 

The two extremes, or the two acute angles in this triangular con- 
troversy, are the Romanist and the Liberal ist, aswe have defined him. 
One contends for an education to be paid for by the State, and yet 
definitely and denominationally religious. The other demands the 
entire exclusion of religious teaching, or religious influences of every 
kind. The third party hopes to steer a middle course. It would 
secure religious and moral instruction; yet of such a characteras to 
give no just cause of offense — that is, no just cause in its estimation 
— either to its right or left hand antagonists. 

Are any of these schemes practicable? It would seem the easiest 
of all to deal with the position of the Romanist — we mean logically, 
for practically the greatest difficulty, perhaps, will be found on this 
side. The answer to his claim of a share of the public money pre- 
sents itself at once. If for one, for all. And so the whole of our 
boasted educational system is reduced to the collecting and distribu- 
ting of money. When brought to this condition, too, each sect could 
only receive, not in proportion to the number of its children, but, in 
proportion to the taxes it had contributed ; for who would contend for 
the justice of taxing Protestants to pay for the education of children 
in the exclusive tenets of Romanism? as must be the case, if, in pro- 
portion to their numbers, the former are the wealthiest portion of the 
community ? 

How is it with what we have called the Evangelical Protestant 
scheme ? It might do for a large middle ground ; though even this, 
a jealous sectarianism among Protestants themselves, would be con- 
tinually narrowing. It is, however, the best and only one of the three 



112 

that could be selected, should it be decided that the State must edu- 
cate, and that, too, on someone system that would make its education 
a blessing and not a curse. In that case, we must decide, as well as 
we can, what moral and religious influences are predominant in the 
nation, and make them the controlling power in a system of national 
education, with as much tolerance as possible for every thing else. 
By predominant we mean, not the bare assent of a numerical majority 
for the time being, but that prevailing view of things spiritual which 
has been active in the national history, and thus entered largely into 
the national character, or what may be called the national life. To 
disregard this is inevitably to denationalize ourselves. A State that 
does not, in this sense, possess some predominant moral and religious 
character, or that regards " all faiths, all forms" as alike good, alike 
evil, can have no true sanctions for its laws, can command no per- 
manent respect for its institutions. Its mere physical force wll be 
ultimately of no avail in the absence of that fixed moral sentiment, 
without which law has no self-sustaining power, and all enactments 
become in time a dead letter, not merely negatively useless, but actu- 
ally breeding a deadly pestilence in the national conscience. Such a 
State, in short, can claim no more regard, or reverential obedience, 
than the individual man who stands in the same faithless and godless 
predicament. 

We see no assailable point in these general positions. It is only 
when we attempt to make specific applications that the difficulties 
present themselves ; and these difiiculties it would be well for us to 
look steadily in the face. The advocate of some predominant middle 
ground is drivent o defend himself, and make goodhis position against 
two apparently most opposite antagonists. Almost every argument 
he urges against one extreme is turned with some plausibility against 
liim by the other. The Romanist pierces him with the same weapon 
he had employed against the infidel. The infidel assails him in the 
very quarter which he liad regarded as his vantage ground in a con- 
flict with the Romanist. Against this latter class of antagonists, he 
may indeed maintain, and with much appearance, at least, of proof, 
that their newly displayed zeal for common school education is lack- 
ing in a hearty sincerity. He may pose them with the questions — 
How comes it that this feeling ever slumbers until aroused by Pro- 
testant efforts? Why is it only exhibited in predominantly Protestant 
countries ? Why is there not as much interest felt for the education 
of the poor, and the children of the poor, in Sicily, and Portugal, and 
Mexico, as in Great Britain and America ? But all this amounts to 
nothing in the argument. T-Jie Romanist stands on the ground of 
the Constitution. His religion is to be respected. He claims relief 
against any public system of education which is either directly or 
indirectly hostile to it. It is no answer to him to say that this is 
according to the nature of things. It will not be enough to tell him 
that under present circumstances, as they exist in the present age of 
the world, all free or common education must be hostile to Roman- 
ism. Such a nature of things and circumstances, and such influences 



113 

of the present age, he would say are evil and wrong. They affect 
injuriously his cherished belief, and he asks protection from a State 
which is constitutionally bound, as he says, to an exact impartiality, 
or, rather, to an undisturbed indifference. 

Very similar to this is the reasoning the Evangelical Protestant is 
compelled to employ, when assailed by the Liberal ist with a demand 
for the entire exfclusion of all but the purest scientific instruction. 
Such an exclusion, he contends, although apparently a merely nega- 
tive act, is positive hostility. There can be strictly no neutrality. 
In the present state of things exclusion is reprobation, and an infidel 
bias upon the young mind is the fruit of an assumed yet unreal im- 
partiality. Under the pretense of indifference to all sects, there is a 
favoring of the very worst. There is a show of fairness, but in the 
very nature of such a state of things, every movement tends to the 
advantage of those who hoW to negations instead of positive truth. 
The definite language necessarily employed in the statement or de- 
fense of the latter carries the appearance of sectarianism. It stands 
outplear and uncompromising. The cant of an infidel rationalism is 
more flexible. It assumes to be philosophical, and under this guise 
attacks the most precious truth without creating alarm. No position 
can be more unanswerably just than that a system of education which, 
under the pretense of fairness, excludes certain definite religions views 
as sectarian, should also equally exclude any direct or indirect denials 
of them. If, for example, the doctrine of a future penal retribution 
can not be taught, or if it must be expurgated when even alluded to 
in a reading book, on what principle of justice or consistency shall 
another doctrine in every respect opposed to it be allowed to come 
creeping in under the name of phrenology, or the philosophy of hu- 
hmanity, or some system of pretended ethics, which, after all, is but 
the sheerest naturalism. There has been more than one example of 
just such a kind of neutrality in the selection of re^ading books, and 
volumes for district libraries. Robert Hall's works would be shut 
out as sectarian ; so would any religious periodical openly devoted to 
the maintaining certain definite theological views. On the other 
hand, Combe's Constitution of Man, and The Westminster Review, 
are freely allowed to come in under the cloak of philosophy and lite- 
rature. Our public officers may mean to be fair ; but of many of 
them it may be truly said — they know no better. Their own highest 
education, perhaps, has been that of the party newspaper, the political 
caucus, or the flash lecture system of the day ; and how should they 
be expected to keep the track of so wily and slimy a thing as the 
modern infidelity. Again, a direct attack on certain religious views 
is not half so dangerous as the pretense of teaching morals on a plan 
which Carefully excludes ail distinctively religious ideas. A believer 
in the Atonement and the Trinity might more safely have his chil- 
dren brought in direct contact with Volney and Voltaire, than with 
the system of expurgated school-books which has been adopted in 
some parts of our land. 

Thus reasons, and most justly and pertinently reasons, our middle 



114 

man, or our Evangelical Protestant, as we have styled him, when he 
loses sight of his Romish, and turns him to his Infidel antagonist. 
We have merely given the outline points of his argument, but it might 
be filled up so as to appear extremely forcible, to say the least, if not 
wholly unanswerable. It could be shown almost to a mathematical 
certainty, that in the present system of things, the decision of dispu- 
ted questions, arising out. of the selection of school and library books, 
must continually result in the triumph of the infidel, or negative, in- 
terest, whenever it comes in conflict with positive truth." 



Extracts from Dr. Checvcr on the "Right of the Bible in our Public 

Schools." 

" We propose to show, on the other hand, that while it is essential 
to forbid sectarianism in the public schools, it is as essential to bring 
them under the teachings and power of true religion ; that religion 
should not be driven out under cover of repelling sectarianism ; that 
it is as clearly the right and duty of the State to instruct the children 
in religious, as it is in secular truth; keepmg out sectarianism by 
keeping in the Bible, and preventing bigotry by making religion free, 
and bringing all the children under the same celestial light ; that the 
Bible in our schools is the birth-right of all the children, but especially 
of those who can have no other education but such as the State gives 
them ; that the government is bound, in justice to the overwhelming 
Christian majority whom it taxes for the support of common schools, 
to place the Bible and the common truths of Christianity in the course 
of free common school education ; that this is a right of the Christian 
conscience which cannot justly be refused at the demand of any sect; 
that It is essential to the security of our laws and institutions, and to 
the preservation. both of civil and religious liberty ; that its exclusion 
would alienate the affections and support of the whole Christian com- 
munity from the common school system ; that education in our coun- 
try has been grounded in the Bible from the beginning, and that its 
banishment would be a measure of defiance to the Supreme Being, 
and of inevitable danger and disaster to the republic." — [pp. 11-12. 

" The right to teach the Scriptures, and to have them read in the 
public schools, is founded on the fact that they are the Word of God 
for the instruction of mankind. A revelation from Heaven for all 
mankind is the property of no sect, and cannot be called sectarian ; 
consequently no sect has any right of conscience to object against it. 
If the introduction of it is contrary to conscience, if the reading of it 
is an act of intolerance towards those, or the conscience of those, who 
object against it, then the promulgation of it as an authoritative reve- 
lation, is an intrusion upon conscience, and by this argument God 
himself is represented as doing violence to conscience in enforcing 
his own Word upon all men, on pain of eternal penalties if they do 
not receive it." — [p. 13. 



115 

" You have forgotten or ignored the fact that others, besides the 
opposers of the Scriptures, have a conscience also. They are, more- 
over, the overwhehuing majority, a point which we shall thoroughly 
consider. They will tell you that after the Word of God is thus 
prohibited, and the whole round of literature expurgated of every 
' religious bias,' all the religious element, and even the Protestant 
historical element eliminated, they, in their turn, are conscientiously 
prohibited, by that very exclusion and elimination, from the benefit 
of an education by the Government. They pay their tax ; but the 
Government oppresses and tramples on their constitutional and con- 
scientious rights, and offers them, instead of a free education, an edu- 
cation fenced round with bars and lances, an education provided with 
dykes to keep out the influx of Christianity, like the swamps of Hol- 
land with their embankments sustained at such an enormous expense, 
to keep out the sea. It offers them, instead of an education for free- 
men, an education hoodwinked, fettered, jealous, that like a liveried 
horse, cannot travel in the public highway without blinders. It offeis 
them, instead of a system open and fearless, producing habits of 
inquiry and investigation, a coward education that cannot bear the 
light, — nay, an education of which one of the fixed and guiding ele- 
ments is the exclusion of the light; an education that must stifle the 
voice and muffle the drum of history ; an education that cannot endure 
so much as the mention of the name of Martin Luther, but with 
priest's curses." — [pp. 33-34. 

" Have they no claim to a perfect religious freedom ? Are all 
sects in turn to be promoted, and they alone contemned ?" — [p. 35. 

" Their conscience happening to be in behalf of the Bible, is 
branded as an intolerant conscience, interfering with the rights of a 
perfect religious liberty. The conscience of the Romanist, who hates 
the Bible, and must get it out of the schools, and not only so, but 
must have the school-books expurgated by the priest, or he will not 
send his children, you respect." — [p. 36. 

" If the Romanists choose to use any other English version in the 
schools, they are at perfect liberty so to do ; let them use their Douay 
version, if they please. Classes might be formed in any or every 
school with the Douay verson, or the common English version, and 
either be used at pleasure. But for one party to say to the other, — 
Because we do not desire to have the English translation used in the 
schools, you shall not have it, and for this to be enforced as the rule, 
would be glaring injustice and intolerance." — [p. 44. 

" Suppose again, that the New Testament is used as a class book 
in the schools, and a certain number of children refuse to read that, 
and persist in the refusal. Is it any less wrong, any less a breach of 
order and discipline, to refuse to read the lesson in the New Testa- 
ment, than it would be to refuse to get the lesson in Colburn's 
Sequel ?"— [p. 47. 



116 

" Because the Constitution requires that all denominations shall 
have equal rights, therefore no denomination shall have a right to the 
Bible, if any denomination object to it. Is not that an admirable 
logic of equality and freedom ? 

" The appointment of a reading lesson from the sacred Scriptures, 
with a rule that the whole class, or the whole school, as the case may 
be, shall take part In it, is no more an instance of religious compul- 
sion, than the appointment of a reading lesson from the Task, or from 
the Paradise Lost. If the children were compelled to give their assent 
to it, or signify their belief of any religious truth in it, then indeed it 
would be compulsion. But the appointment of a reading lesson from 
the Bible is no more an oppression upon conscience, than the teaching 
of the art of reading itself is an oppression upon conscience. Any 
school exercise is as much an oppression as the reading of the Bible, 
if any child refuse it, and be compelled to join in it. Yet, to avoid 
even the appearance of compulsion, it should be entirely at the option 
of parents to say whether their children shall join in such an exercise. 
We shall consider this matter again under the example of Scotland." 
—[p. 51-2. 

" ' Conscience,' you say, ' knows no majorities.' Does it mend 
the matter to have the minurity rule ? You are bound to suppose as 
much conscience on the one side as the other; if a conscience in the 
minority against the Bible, a conscience also in the majority demand- 
ing it. If, then, it is not the bare force of a majority that retains the 
Bible, it must be the bare force of a minority that excludes it; and 
which intolerance and injustice is the greatest? By your reasoning, 
you would give all the positive rights of the majority into the power 
of a negative in the minority, sacrificing what is dear as a matter of 
conscience to twenty millions, for the prejudices of two millions." — 
[pp. 58-59. 

" My scruples in favor of the Bible are at least as sacred, and as 
worthy to be regarded, as the scruples of any other man against the 
Bible. The Government cannot any more rightfully deprive me of 
the benefit of an education, because I happen to have a conscience 
in favor of the Bible, than it can another man, who has a conscience 
against the Bible. Admit such an equality, and how i*s it possible to 
decide the matter, but by the majority?" — [pp. 60-61. 

"In this case, shall the conscience of the smaller number bind 
the conscience of the larger? That would be most glaring, absurd, 
and inicjuitous. Shall, then, the claim of the conscience of the lar- 
ger number be admitted as superior to the claim of the conscience of 
the smaller? There is no other alternative; and certainly, in all 
reason, if, as is the essence of this theory, and of this argument 
against the Bible, you-put both consciences on a par, as to right and 
excellence, the greater amount of conscience should weigh against 
the smaller. If, as you propose, conscience is to be respected, then 
the greater amount of conscience is to be respected, rather than the 
smaller, and this, no matter on what side the greater amount is to be 



117 

found. If it be found on the side of tlie Bible, it ought to prevail in 
the right to have the Bible; if it be found against the Bible, it ouo-ht 
to prevail in the right to exclude the Bible. If it be found on the 
side of Protestantism, (if you will force a sectarian question into the 
public school system, as you are doing,) it ought to prevail there ; if 
on the side of Romanism, it ought to prevail there. But it is those 
and those only, who would exclude the Bible, that have intruded 
this foreign question of strife and bitterness in regard to Romanism 
and Protestantism ; it was never broached before, never by the friends 
of the Bible, never by the founders of our school system, with the 
Bible free for all." — [pp. 62-G3. 

" But take it as you state it^ and set even the Talmud or the Koran 
in the balance, and on your own premises as to conscience, they 
would have that right, as on the principle of majority. And it would 
be the height of absurdity and intolerance to refuse it. You are not 
obliged to send your children to listen to the Talmud, if you happen 
to be living under a Jewish government ; you have the privilege of 
giving them whatever instruction you please at home. 

" But you would not send your children to such a school, you say, 
— could not conscientiously do it — and therefore you assume that 
it is wrong to have such a school. But this is just setting up 
your particular conscience as the law for theirs. And by what 
right could you pretend to do this? They have the right to teach 
the Talmud, both by majority and by conscience ; and are you 
to play the tyrant, and on the plea that your conscience is outraged 
by their schools, demand that they themselves shall outrage their own 
conscience for your sake, and banish the Talmud, which conscience 
requires them to use, because you aver that it is a pain and oppres- 
ion to conscience to hear it ? This would be despotism indeed. — 
Are you going to deny to a Jewish government the right to appoint 
the Talmud in its schools for the thousands who believe in it, be- 
cause you, as an individual, do not wish your children to hear it? — 
Yes, you say, because you have to pay a tax for the support of the 
schools. But on your own argument it is better to have schools even 
with the Talmud, than no schools ; so that no injustice is done you 
in taxing you for that which is as much for your good as for the good 
of society, even though you profess yourself conscientiously debarred 
from availing yourself of the benefits for your children. 

" You say you have the right to demand of the government a school 
according to your principles, because you pay your tax ; be it so; 
then certainly the majority of tax-payers have the same right to de- 
mand a school according to their principles ; they have the same 
right with yourself, on the ground of paying theAr tax, to say what 
A'/zjc? of schools thei/ shall have. Are you ready, by the fact of pay- 
ing yourtax, to claim the right of legislating by your opinion over all 
the other tax-payers ? Have you the right, because you pay your tax, 
to tell them that they shall not have the Talmud, which they consci- 
16 



118 

entiously demand, because you, a tax-payer, cannot conscientiously 
listen to it ? Just so with the Koran and the Mohammedan. On 
your theory, you would have the ricrht to turn a whole village of Mo- 
hammedan children out of school by means of conscience ; making 
the government for your sake exclude the book and the element, 
without which they cannot conscientiously attend the school and re- 
ceive its benefit, in order that your children may, with their scrupu- 
lous consciences unviolated, avail themselves of its teachings. 

"It is then, after all, the majority that must determine, conscience 
or no conscience, ; if you have no ultimate authority, no higher law 
than the conflicting judgment, taste, preferences, and universally va- 
rying conscience of mankind. It is the majority that must determine, 
unless you assume, as in point of f;ict your theory does, that the con- 
science of the minority ought in all cases to prevail, or else that the 
conscience of some particular sect, and that the smallest and most 
pertinacious, must be the ruling law." — [pp. 65-69. 

"Their children need not be obliged to use the Word of God, 
but may be made an exception ; nothing is easier than this. But it 
is a piece of intolerance and oppression in the extreme, to require 
that because they dislike and reject it, therefore, ?cf shall not be per- 
mitted to use it and enjoy its light." — [p. 69. 

" And here we say, and we defy any man on grounds of just reason- 
ing to deny it, that if there be any solemn charge in regard to the 
children of the commonwealth resting upon the republic, if there be 
any right vested in the government to meddle in the matter of educa- 
tion at all, it is the right and the duty to provide the children with 
the Bible, and so to arrange the course of instruction in the common 
schools that they shall there come to the knowledge of the Bible." 
-[p. 78. 

"Let us suppose the Manhattan Gas Company to enter a conscien- 
tious plea against the sun-light in our school-houses, on the ground 
that the use of the sunlight prevents the use of their gas, and conse- 
quently deprives them of the benefit that might accrue to them and 
their families from a monopoly of light. Besides, they have among 
themselves a church canon, interdicting their own families from the 
use of any light but the company's gas. Under these circumstances, 
the sun-light becomes Protestant light, for all except those connected 
with the company, and under its authority, protest against the mo- 
nopoly of light; ergo, the sun-light is Protestant light, and it is 
against their consciences to endure it, or to permit the use of it ; and 
though they wish to send their children to the public schools, yet, 
they are prevented from that privilege, if the children are compelled 
to read by sun-light ; they cannot conscientiously put their children 
under any light but that of the company's gas. i)y that light, they 
may read and study arithmetic, history, and even Martin Luther's 
character, and what not, but never by the Protestant sunlight. — 
Whose picture is this, the counterfeit presentment of what faith 1 

" And now suppose you make a compromise, and say to them : 



119 

well, to make all fair, you shall have the privilege of introducing the 
gas-light for your children, but at the same time the sun-light shall 
come in also, so that all may be satisfied. Ah, but that will not an- 
swer ; the sun-light must not be let in at all, for wherever it is, it ab- 
solutely puts theirs out. 'Tis of no use whatever, they say, to at- 
tempt a eompetition ; it is a gone case with us, if the sun-light is let 
in at all. Our gas in competition with the sun? Why, the chil- 
dren would re.ad on, and read on, and not even know that our gas 
was lighted." — [pp. 80-81. 

" The Government," says Hugh Miller, " that should punish 
with imprisonment or death, the man whose only crime was, that he 
had given a morsel of bread to a dying beggar, or rescued some un- 
happy human being who was in danger of perishing in the pit into 
which he had fallen, would be held to have violated the rights of man, 
if the person so punished was a subject of its own, and the rights of 
nations, if he was the subject of another State. But does not that 
Government as really violate the rights of man, and the laws of Chris- 
tian nations, which says, you shall not give a copy of the Bible to a 
human being, however desirous he may be to know the will of his 
Maker, and however much he may feel that his eternal welfare de- 
pends on knowing that will ?" — [pp. 90-91. 

" But if the State undertake to educate the children at all, is it not 
under obligation to give them as good an education as they can get 
elsewhere 1 If the State tax its citizens for the expenses of such an 
education, does it not stand pledged to teach the children of the citi- 
zens all that is essential to their welfare? Is it a fulfilment of that 
pledge to say that they may get religious instruction elsewhere, 
but that the State shall not provide that vital element, for fear of sec- 
tarianism ? J/ay get it elsewhere ! And who stands responsible for 
the consequences, if they should not 1" — [pp. 94-95. 

" If the State have any right to command the oath, the State has 
the same right, and comes under the highest obligation, to provide 
for and appoint such teachings, that her citizens may know their 
commonest forms of duty, and be prepared for their sincere and in- 
telligent performance. And what did Washington say upon this very 
point ? Let us recur to the sentence, which he wrote expressly to 
prove the absolute necessity of religion as well as morality for the ex- 
istence and well-being of the State, and therefore the necessity of the 
teaching of religion as well as morality. " Let it be simply asked, " 
said he, "where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, 
if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the in- 
struments of investigation in courts of justice 1" But that sense ftiust 
desert them, if men are not taught those religious truths, by which 
only the oath can be understood in its sacredness, and in the knowl- 
edge of which alone it is worth anything. Now, is the State bound to 
provide means for the preparation of the children for the oblio-ations 
and duties of a citizen, in taking upon itself the work of their educa- 
tion, or is it not? If any education be given by the State, .surelv it 



120 

must be such that by means of it the children may arrive at the 
knowledge of those obligations and responsibilities which will rest 
upon them as members of the State. And what an anomaly, what a 
profound and palpable inconsistency, to appoint and enjoin a religious 
obligation for our civil and social life, and at the same time enjoin 
the exclusions from our common schools of all the peculiar instruc- 
tion and knowledge requisite for performing it !" — [pp. 120-121. 

"Morality itself, according to the sentiment we have quoted from 
Washington, is based upon religion, and if religion be excluded, mo- 
rality is also. The most perfect knowledge of physical law will not 
restrain the passions ; the sanctions of religion are essential for that. 
But really, to iguore'and exclude religion is to teach that it is not 
necessary, if it be not also directly to teach that there is no such 
thing, no one true religion, in regard to which there is any certainty 
that is is the truth, any more than all forms of religion under heaven 
are the truth. Is there not, must there not be, necessarily, inevitably, 
an infidel influence in such teaching?" — [pp. 124-125. 

" The churches and the parochial schools are glaringly inadequate ; 
perhaps not more than a sixth part of the families in our country ever 
attend any church, or any other schools than the free schools. Conse- 
quently, five-sixths of our whole youthful population are left unpro- 
vided with the knowledge of the Bible and any religious instructon , 
if you exclude it from the free public schools." — pp. 133-134. 

'^ It is admitted that we owe our present high prosperity, our good 
order, our civil and religious freedom, to theTinowledge and influence 
of the Bible among all classes. And can we now aff"ord to throw 
down the ladder, by which we have ascended to these blessings, and 
leave others to gain them as they may ? Can we safely rely upon an 
uninstructed generation to keep them, or even to appreciate their 
value? Or is there really such an indefatigable and all conquering 
zeal for teaching religion to the children of the masses out of school, 
as will supply the want of it in the eommon school education ?" — [p. 
138. 

" Mr. Gladstone of England recently declared, in speaking of the 
happy union of religious and secular instruction in the schools in 
Scoltand, that there is the closest and the happiest harmony between 
the scientific training of the intellect and the religious training of the 
heart; that he commits a profanation against God and against human 
nature who would attempt to dissever them ; and that where the truths 
of the Christian faith are fully taught and rightly received, there you 
will best and most fruitfully pursue the work of that temporal and 
secular training, which is the specific object of the school." — p. 139. 

" The simplest elements of Moral Science cannot be taught without 
a religious bias. It is impossible to ignore or exclude Christianity, 
or place it on the same level with false religions, treating all alike, 
and at the same time instruct the pupil in the truths of moral philos- 
ophy. If you would make the subject of morals a subject of study at 
all the common schools, you are absolutely compelled to make choice 



121 

of sou}e system ; and unless you take the remnants of Pagan philoso- 
phy for a text-book, you must go upon the ground of Christianity ; 
and you cannot advance a step without breaking that law of impartial- 
ity, by which it is asserted, that the State can have nothing to do with 
religious instruction, but is bound to reject the Bible, and all distinc- 
tively religious truth. Morality itself, cannot possibly be taught with- 
out distinctively religious truth, so that this alleged rule of impartiality 
would tsclude morality as well as religion from the common schools." — 
[pp. 157-158. 

" There are two false assumptions in the objection ; first, that if the 
Bible be not excluded the Romanists will be shut out; and second, that 
if the Bible he excluded, you can in that way induce them to come in. 
They will neither be shut out by admitting the Bible, nor will they be 
drawn in by excluding the Bible." — [pp. 165-166 

" Then again, to others they [the Roman Catholics] will say, Be- 
hold these godless schools ! These Protestants have a religion, which 
they have the impudence to assert is better than ours, and yet they 
dare not teach it to their children ! It can surely not be deemed very 
sacred by those, who on considerations of expediency, consent to keep 
it from their children, consent to excommunicate it from the public 
schools. Godless, atheistic, worthless ! We will have nothing to do 
with such an education ; we cannot, and will not send our children to 
such places!" — [pp. 168-169. 

"Previous to the administration of Col Stone, laws were pa ed 
in 1842 and 1843, containing the section forbidding sectarian teach- 
ing and books. Under cover of these laws, the effort was driven on to 
banish the Bible, as being itself a sectarian book, no statute having 
then been passed to prevent its banishment, because it had neve" been 
dreamed that the time would come when such a statute would be nec- 
essary ; the Scriptures having been read daily in all the public schools 
for forty years, without complaint or opposition. 

Col. Stone " advised, counselled, recommended, and remonstrated, 
terminating his official labors by invoking the interposition of the 
Legislature," to protect and preserve the schools from having the Bible 
turned out of them. It was in answer to his eloquent appeals that an 
amendment to the School Law was enacted in 1844, prohibiting the 
Board of Education from excluding the Holy Scriptures from any 
school."— [pp. 215-216. 

" Accordingly, provision was early made by law. giving opportunity 
for the exercise of a religious influence by the teachers, yet not secta- 
rian ; and under Mr. Spencer's administration it was decided, and 
the enactment is part of the system, that " Teachers may open and 
close their schools with prayer, and the reading of the Scriptures, ac- 
companied with suitable remarks, taking care to avoid all discussion of 
controverted points, or sectarian dogmas."* — pp. 226-227. 

* Raiulall's Common School System of the State of New York, p. 273. 



122 

"And the appeal to men's prejudices, and to their dread of eccle- 
siastical domination, has been artfully made, for the exclusion of the 
Bible and praj-er, on the ground that anything positively religious in 
the schools would be " the first step, and a decided one, towards 
placing them under ecclesiastical guardianship and supremacy." — 
And yet this very appeal., with all the sophistry of the demagogue, is 
made at the instigation of a sect, and for the very purpose of having 
the conscientious uight of all other sects to the Bible cut down, 
trampled on, destroyed, at the will of that one despotic sect demand- 
ing the exclusion of the Bible, and demanding it on the express 
grounds of their own ecclesiastical prejudices and canons !" — pp. 230- 
231. 

" If we would keep our civil freedom, we must educate our children 
in the Scriptures. That freedom came to us from the Bible ; by the 
Bible only we can keep it. Like the pillar of cloud by day and of 
fire by night, Divine Truth led our heroic ancestors through all the 
sufferings, discipline, and struggles, by which they established our 
liberties, and nothing else can preserve those liberties, or the spirit of 
them in their descendants. We must have a religious education; and 
if an evil influence should prevail with the State so to change the 
system to which we have been accustomed as to banish the Bible and 
religion from it, then the church will be compelled to take it up, as 
she does the voluntary support of religious worship. In reliance on 
Christ alone, she has advanced religion mor ; than all State endow- 
ments in the world have ever done. In reliance on Christ alone, if 
compelled into it, she is able to do the same with education." — pp. 
301-302. 

"Pray, by what rule should your rights be determined? Shall it 
be by the measure which would be meted out under a reverse of cir- 
cumstances to a like company of American Protestants in a Catholic 
country? You claim the right especially to interfere with the man- 
agement of our public schools. Pray, had you any such right in the 
country of your birth, where your religion adjusted rights, and dealt 
them out? Before Americans entrust you with the management of 
their public schools, they would like to see the result of your labors 
in the same way in Catholic countries. Can you point us to some 
spot in Italy, Spain, Austria, or any other country under the influ- 
ence of the Catholic Church, where the earliest care of Popery is to 
establish common schools, in which all the children shall be taught to 
read, and write, and cipher? "We should like to visit that Catholic 
country, where, in every neighborhood, the district school-house is the 
centre of interest, and to see the Catholic children as in neat attire 
they assemble blithely every morning. Is there any such spot in all 
the dominions of the Pope?" — p. 210. — Journal of Commerce quoted 
by Dr Cheevcr. 



123 

Address by Tliomas S. Grimke, on tlie expediency of" adopting the Bible, 
as a class book, in every scheme of Education, from the Primary School to 
the University. Delivered at Columbia, S. C. in the Presbyterian Church. 
on Friday Evening, 4th of December, 1829, before the Richland School. 

There is a Classic, the best the world has ever seen, the noblest, that has 
ever honored and dignified the lahguage of mortals. If we look into its an- 
tiquity, we discover a title to our veneration, unrivtilled in the history of 
Literature. If we have respect to its evidences, they are found in the testi- 
mony of miracle and prophecy; in the ministry of Man, of Nature and of 
Angels, yea even of " God, manifest in the flesh," of " God, blessed forever." 
If we consider its authenticity, no other pages have survived the lapse of 
time, that can be compared with it. If we examine its authority, for it speaks, 
as never man spake, we discover, that it came from Heaven in vision and 
prophecy, under the sanction of Him, who is the Creator of all things, and 
the Giver of every good and perfect gift. If we reflect on its truths, they 
are lovely and spotless, sublime and holy, as God himself, unchangeable as 
his nature, durable as his righteous dominion, and versatile as the moral con- 
dition of mankind. If Ave regard the value of its treasures, we must estimate 
them, not like the relics of classic Antiquity, by the perishable glory and 
beauty, virtue and happiness ot this world, but by the enduring perfection 
and supreme felicity of an eternal kingdom. If we inquire, who are the men, 
that have recorded its truths, vindicated its rights, and illustrated the excel- 
lence of its scheme — from the depth of Ages and from the living world, from 
the populous continent and the isles of the Sea — comes forth the answer — 
the Patriarch and the Prophet, the Evangelist and Martyr. If we look 
abroad through the world of men, the victims of folly and vice, the prey of 
cruelty and injustice, and incpiire what are its benefits, even in this temporal 
state, the great and the humble, the rich and the poor, the powerful and the 
weak, the learned and the ignorant reply, as with one voice, that humility 
and resignation, purity, order and peace, faith., hope, and charity, are its 
blessings upon Earth. And if we lift our eyes from Time to Eternity, from 
the world of mortal man to the world of just men made perfect, from the vis- 
ible creation, marvellous, beautiful and glorious as it is, to the invisible crea- 
tion, of Angels and Seraphs, from the footstool of God, to the Throne of God 
himself, and then ask, what are the blessings that flow from this one volume, 
let the question be answered by the pen of the Evangelist, the harp of the 
Prophet, and the records of the book of Life. 

Such is the best of Classics the world has ever admired ; such, the noblest 
that Man has ever adopted as a guide. And yet, incredible as it may seem, 
and to all but oui-selves, it would be incredible, this best, this noblest Classic, 
is excluded from all our plans of education, with a watchfulness, a zeal, a 
perseverance, worthy of the enemies, but dishonorable to the friends of the 
Bible. Had the Infidel constructed the schemes of education, which prevail 
in Christian countries, we should not be surprised to find them, such as they 
are ; for they exclude as much of scriptural elements, as even a politic Infidel 
could venture to omit ; whilst they embrace as ample a share of the consitu- 
enfs of paganism and of the world, as an Infidel could dare to employ, with 
the hidden purpose of depraving the heart, corrupting the moral taste, and 
keeping Religion and the Scriptures constantly out of view. I know that 
the good and the great, the wise and the learned, and not the Infidel, have 
been the founders, and the supporters of these schemes. I know that even 
the Christian ministry, in every variety of virtue and knowledge, under all 
the vicissitudes of wealth and poverty, of glory and obscurity, have honored 
them with their sanction, and sustained them by their influence. But I also 
know, that the great and the good, the wise and the learned have had their 
follies and prejudices, their unreasonable attachments and pernicious aver-' 



12i 

sions. I know that even the Christian ministry have defended the cause of 
error and superstition, of the bigot and the fanatic. I know that they have 
preached the crusade against the infidel and heretic, that they have justified 
and acted their part, in the Auto da Fe, that, even among Protestants, they 
have objected to the scheme of Bible Societies, and to the mutual labors of 
different sects. I know that the great and the good, the wise and the learned, 
in the ministry and among the people, have vindicated the divine right of 
Kings and the doctrine of passive obedience, the necessity of an Established 
Church, and of orders of Nobility, the superiority of Monarchy and Aristoc- 
racy over Republican forms, the principle, that man is unfit for self-govern- 
ment, and the expediency of arming the civil magistrate with authority in 
matters of conscience. I know that they expelled the Huguenots from France, 
the Jews from Spain, the Puritans from England, and the followers of Roger 
Williams from Massachusetts. 1 know, that even in our own Carolina, they 
denied to the French refugees the rights of fellow-subjects; that in 17 78, they 
declared the Protestant to be the Established religion of the State; that, with- 
in a few years, they resisted the claims of a Hebrew to a seat in the Legisla- 
ture of North Carolina ; and in Maryland, first among the Colonies in 
toleration, last among the States in intolerance, the Israelite, until v.'ithin a 
few years, was condemned to political slavery. 

All these things I know ; for they are scattered over the pages of history 
and biography, they have insulted, degraded and afflicted mankind, they have 
dishonored even God himself. And, when I look backward througli the vista 
of nearly sixty centuries, and see the condition of Man, during the most of 
that time : and when I look abroad through the world as it is, and behold the 
ignorance and vice, that oppress the vast majority of our race, I cease to won- 
der at the inexorability of prejudice, and the unconf|uerable attachment to 
existing institutions. And, whan I remember that the great and the good, 
the wise and the learned, advocated James the 2d., and resisted the Revolu- 
tion of 1688; that they justified the tyrannical measures of Charles the 1st. 
and sought in a thirty year's war the enslavement of Protestant Germany ; 
that they condemned, even among ourselves, the cause of American Indepen- 
dence, and opposed in every form, the abolition of the Slave Trade by the 
British Parliament, still less do I wonder at the power of prejudice, and the 
despotism of ancient jjredilections. Truth has prevailed in many a battle 
against error ; though shielded by authority and strengthened by superstition, 
decorated by taste and genius, and recommended by talents and learning. I 
despair not then, of a total revolution in systems of education ; but the ac- 
complishment of this, as of every other great and good work among men, 
must be the achievement of time and patience, of rational inquiry and en- 
lightened perseverance, of a spirit of wisdom and moderation, equally re- 
moved from rashness and timidity, from the blindness of prejudice, and the 
spirit of wild innovation. 

I speak to a Christian audience, in a' land, adorned by Religion and Liter- 
ature, by Philosophy and the Arts, and dignified by a sober minded, rational 
liberty. In such an audience, the subject of education, even in a foreign 
land, would awaken a laudable curiosity ; but when it concerns themselves, 
it appeals to their high sense of duty as Men, as Christians, as Patriots ; and 
to their noblest affections, as Parents, Instructors, and Guardians. Let us 
then proceed to examine, deliberately and anxiously, the position, which I 
propose to establish, " that the Bible ought to he a prominent and never-ceas- 
ing part of all education, from the primarg School to the Universilji" This 
position is, I believe, adverse to the theory and practice of all existing insti- 
tutions. I shall maintain it, howerer, with firmness ; yet I trust, not offensively 
or unkmdly, but with delicacy and respect. 

It seems to be required of me, by the nature of my su1)ject, to investigate 
in the first instance, the origin of that practice, which has excluded the 



125 

Scriptures from scliomes of education : and then to consider what causes have 
led to the contitiuance of a system, irreconcileable with the great, the obvious 
duties of Christians. And if, in the prosecution of this inciuiry, I should be 
laid under the necessity, as assuredly I must be, of expressing opinions, ad- 
verse to the practice of the clergy, as Guardians and Instructors of youth, I 
trust, that I may stand acquitted of a desire to depreciate the sanctity of their 
office, or the usefulness of their labors. From the first institution of Christian- 
ity, I regard them, as indispensable to the promulgation of the Grospel, the 
observance of Ecclesiastical rule, the administration of Sacraments, and the 
perpetuity of the Church. I regard them, as the advocates of virtue, the 
promoters of happiness, and the friends of education. Considered as a body, 
I esteem them a main pillar, in the temple of social order. What though 
they are inferior in dignity to Patriarchs, and Prophets, and Apostles ; what 
though the cloven tongue of fire hath never rested on them, and no avenging 
flame hath ever, at their command, devoured the enemies of God ; what 
though they speak not, in the twinkling of an eye, in the languages of every 
nation under heaven ; what though the lame have not leaped up, nor the leper 
been cleansed, the blind hath not seen, nor the deaf heard, the sick have not 
been healed, and the dead have not arisen, at their bidding, yet is their office 
full of dignity and usefulness. To them, indeed, it hath not been given, to 
be called imto the ministry by the gracious words of Jesus; to be set apart 
for the work of Evangelists, by the miraculous voice of the Holy Spirit ; nor 
to be stayed, as by the terrors of another Sinai, in a vision, tearful as that, 
which smote Paul with blindness. But to them, it hath been granted, to bear 
consolation to the afflicted, to pour the light of truth on the darkened mind, 
to speak words of heavenly peace to the anxious enquirer, to win back the 
wanderer to the patli of duty, and to constrain even the rebellious to cast 
themselves, contrite and broken hearted, at the feet of a God of Love. How 
full then of Majesty and beauty, of honor and usefulness is the Christian 
ministry ! Who can look up to the gi-eat and the good in its ranks, but with 
reverence, admiration and gratitude V Who can look down on the worst, 
that have prostituted its authority, degraded its dignit}', and polluted its holi- 
ness, and yield to anger and contempt, rather than to pity and regret V — 
Who can survey the CIn-istian JNlinistry, in every age and country, and not 
acknowleilge, amidst atrocities and vices, amidst ignorance, folly, and other 
imperfections, that debt of gratitude, which never has been, and never can be 
paid by mortals. With Avhat spirit doth it then become me to speak of the 
Heralds of the Cross, of the Ambassadors of God to INlan, of the Servants of 
the Most High ! Whatever tiien I may utter, in questioning the soundness of 
their judgment, or the consistency of their practice, will be spoken, assured- 
ly, in respect, in sorrow, in surprise. 

I proceed now to the inquiry, to what origin may be traced this extraordi- 
nary character of Education, and to what may its continuance be ascribed ? 
The former, unquestionably, must be referred to the state of things in Cath- 
olic countries, before the liefbrmation ; the latter in Protestant Nations, chief- 
ly, if not wholly, to the Christian Ministry. Let us trace the history of this 
origin and continuance. 

AH Christendom was once Catholic, and of course the whole scheme of 
education arose and subsisted, under the infiuence of the Romish church. — 
For centuries, scarcely any but the clergy wei'e educated, since the lament- 
able ignorance of the laity was one of the most hideous features of the dark 
ages. Hence, almost the only instructors were of the Clerical order, and 
education must of necessity have received its character from them. Univer- 
sities and Colleges were Ecclesiastical, rather than Literary establishments. — 
When education began to extend to the Laity, two causes prevented the adop- 
17 



126 

tion of the Scriptures into the System. Tlie first was the principle, that the 
laity were prohibited from reading them ; the second, that, as religion then 
lay buried under a mountain of monkish legends, and was distorted, con- 
founded, and darkened by the subtiltics and absurdities of scholastic theology, 
there was nothing to recommend the study of the Bible. While the Clergy 
bad cultivated, with considerable zeal, metaphysical divinity, they had not 
neglected the seven liberal arts, the trivium and quadrivium of the early ages 
ot the Church. Hence, they were at no loss to furnish abundant employment 
for the lay youth, under their charge. They needed not to dishonor the Mas- 
ter of Sentences, or the celebrated Doctors, styled the Invincible, the An- 
gelic, or the Subtile, the Irrefragable, or the Seraphic, by unfolding the 
mysteries of their Metaphysical Theology to the eyes of the Lait}-. >or is 
it surprising, that tliese should have preferred Homer and Aristotle, Cicero, 
Virgil and Ovid, (the great favorite of the middle ages) to the ponderous and 
gloomy'folios of Monks and Schoolmen. They were incapable, it is true, of 
comprehending the genius, or of relishing the beauties of ancient eloquence 
or poetry ; but the variety and novelty of incident and character, and the 
ease and spirit of the narrative, must have been eminently interesting, com- 
pared with aught else they could read. 

Thus, the combination of these two causes led to a result never contem- 
plated, and laid the foundation for the permanent exclusion ot Religion from 
schemes of general education. When the Laity were prohibited from the 
perusal of the Scriptures, the objeet was not to keep them ignorant of Re- 
liorion, but to prevent them from interpreting what they were believed to be 
equally incompetent and vuiworthy to interpret, and thus to secure to the 
Church, absolute, exclusive authority to teach and expound the Scriptures. — 
When the Laity dedicated themselves exclusively to the study of the Classics, 
it was not, because they regarded Heathen JNIythoIogy, as the true Religion, 
and Christianity as fabulous ; but because they could find nothing in the 
works of Monks and Schoolmen, comparable to the Authors of Greece and 
Rome. 

I now proceed to examine the causes, which have perpetuated the exclu- 
sion of the Scriptures, from schemes of liberal education, in Protestant coun- 
'tries. The principles of the Reformation, it is to be remembered, were 
essentially religious ; but, in the coui'se of their development, it occurred 
from the simplicity and comprehensiveness of their nature, that they em- 
braced the whole circle of human knowledge. Hence it followed, that the 
system of education would be remodeled. In doing this, we are not very 
much surprised, that Religion should still have been excluded ; because its 
prevailing spirit at that period, was controversial, and, as to its character, as 
a scheme of morals and a system of doctrines, these were left under the 
guardianship of the church. Nor must we forget, that, receiving the plan of 
Education, as they did, without the Bible, and having so much to do, in re- 
moving the darkness, rubbish and absurdities, which deformed it, they may 
well have overlooked the c^uestion, " shall not the Bible be an inseparable 
part from the beginning to the end ?" When we consider, likewise, that almost 
the only books, which eould be had, were controversial, and chiefly in Latin, 
we are still less surprised at the result ; more especially since those works 
were written by the learned, for the learned, against the learned. Hence, 
the Leaders of the Reformation seemed to have done all that was called foj*, 
under the existing state of things, when they Incorporated religious education 
into the Ecclesiastical system, in the forms of prayer and psalmody, of creeds 
and confessions, of preaching and catechetical instruction. 

Nor must we lose sight of some otlier considerations, which contributed to 
the existence of this phenomenon. The Old Testament was in Hebrew, a 
language, at the time of the Reformation, scarcely known to Christians. — 



127 

The founder of the modern school of Hebrew learning was Reuchlin, a 
Catliolic- ; but the progress was very slow, and only a few engaged in its 
■ study. The Hebrew, indeed, was not then, and never has been regarded, to 
the disgrace of Christians, as a Classical language, Avith a view, either to 
Literature or Education. Neither the Septuagint nor the Vulgate could be 
accepted as a substitute. Both were deficient in authority, neither could be 
acknowledged as classical compositions, and both were considered by Protes- 
tants, as, in some respects, objectionable. In like manner, the New Testa- 
ment, though in Greek, neither was then, nor has ever since, been regarded, 
to the dishonor of Christians be it spoken, as a classic, in point of language 
and style. Another principal reason for the exclusion of the Bible, is 
found in the fact, that the study of its language and history, of its evidences 
and antiquities, of its exegesis and connections with profane history, of its 
doctrines and mysteries, had been alwa}s considered as peculiar to a Theo- 
logical course, and, in no respect, an ap{)ropriate part of general education. 
As though the Bible were not, in the language of Chillingworth, the Religion 
of Protestants, both Clergy and Laity; and as though, to be ignorant on those 
subjects, were not disgraceful to anj^ intelligent man, who professes to have 
received a liberal education. Yet no provision has ever been made for it, in 
systems of general education : doubtless in some measure because these 
things have been considered as coulined to a theological course, which has 
been always decidedly sectarian. But a liberal course of truly Christian 
Studies, not indeed of sectarian divinity, ought to constitute the noblest 
feature in liberal education, commencing in the family, continued in the 
school, expanded in the academy, still farther perfected in the college, and 
accomplished in the university. 

The Reformation assumed, at a very early age, the sectarian character. — 
The controversies between the several sects of the reformed, and the pole- 
mical warfare between the Protestants and Romanists, gave, by their com- 
bined influence, a still more decisive character of controversy to religion. — 
Tlie peculiar feeling, Avliich belongs to sej^ai'ate communities, unenlightened 
by the jjure, wise spirit of toleration of our day, aggravated by Church Es- 
tablishments, and distorted by unnatural governments and artificial states of 
society, could not tail to prevent any liberal, enlarged scheme of action, on 
the foundation of the Scriptures. 'I'hcse, unhap])ily, were chiefly felt to be 
common ground, as to the llomish Church. Let us add to this, that the course 
of events led very much aud very natui'ally to the substitution of Cate^'hisms, 
and Articles, of Creeds, and Confessions, for the Scriptures, in the schemes 
of insitruction. After having translated the Bible into the vulgar tongue, 
and placed it in the power of the Laity, the great object with each sect ap- 
peared to be, not so much to t-^ach the Scriptures, as to teach the peculiar 
views, which each entertained as to all others, as well as in relation to the 
Catholic Church. Hence, public worship, preaching, confessions, creeds, «ind 
catechetical instruction might be expected to fill the whole measure of relig- 
ious education. 

I fear that another reason must be assigned for the gross neglect, which relig- 
ious education has experienced, even at the hands of t!ie Clergy. When placed 
at the head of schools and colleges, experience justifies too much the opinion, 
that overlooking the Ministerial character, they consider themselves only as 
Scholars. They seem to forget, that they are laid under an obligation to 
teach i-eligion, as well as literature and science. ISIan has indeed commis- 
sioned them, to instruct the young, in these departments of knowledge ; but 
have they forgotten, that the vow is upon them, to teach the everlasting 
gospel ? It may be excusable to decline a pastoi'al charge, as incompatible 
with the extent and variety of their duties, as instructors. But, how can 
they reconcile it to themselves, how can they stand acquitted iu the sight of 



128 

God, as his servants and ambassadors, when the Bible is actually placed un- 
der the ban of outlaicry, in all tlieir systems of instruction ? ^Viien they 
themselves never appear to their pupils, but in the character of laymen ? 
When, excepting the chapel pi'ayers, no one could ever suspect, that to them 
was confided the cure of" souls, as well as the cure of minds '? Would the 
Ap(5stles have acted thus ? 

The existing si-hemes were, of course, brought to om* own country, and 
subsisted in full force, up to the time of our becoming Independent. Then 
appeared that new jera, which combined all religious denominations, in one 
common bond of union, against the mother country. The abolition of all 
sectarian political distinctions and advantages, and the reduction of all to a 
common level, were but natural results of their mutual dependence, and of. 
the practical principle of the Reformation, that all had a right to think, and 
judge, and act for themselves. In point of numbers, wealth, talents and learn- 
ing, no sect was endowed with such ]K)wer and intluence, as to think of su- 
premacy. Hence, their partnership, in the glorious cause of political liberty 
and national independence, expanded itself, till it comprehended the advo- 
cates and champions of freedom, imder the still more glorious fellowship of 
Christian equality. 

The leading sects of Protestants in the United States, have always agreed 
in essentials : and all have acknowledged, without any qualifiL-cition, that the 
Bible is the religion ot Protestants. But they have differed in minor partic- 
ulars, each from the other, in a greater or less degree. As, however, and it 
is too much the common course, they found religion after the Revolution, not 
a part of the general scheme of education, they do not appear to have ever 
considered the question, Avhat reform ought to be made, or, if they did, they 
were deterred from any attempt by the unhappy jealousies, which still subsist 
too much among them, and by the absence of a truly christian spirit of nui- 
tual love and mutual labor. When it is considered also, that it has always 
been a common practice for youth of various denominations, to frequent the 
same schools, academies and colleges, it was to have been expected, thas this 
state of things should contribute a very ample share to the exclusion of relig- 
ion, as a regular, continued part of general education. Unfortunately, religion 
has been almost always regarded, far more in its controversial character, than 
it ought. The obvious effect has been, to exclude it from any plan of general 
education ; because, as a matter of course, it never could be admitted in that 
form, into any such scheme ; and if it were so admitted, the effect would be 
to banish at once the children of every other denomination. 

It well becomes Protestants, and esjjccially the Protestant Clergy, to con- 
sider, whether their mutual jealousies, and want of truly Christian liberality, 
are not the main causes, Avhy Heathen predominates so vastly over Christian 
literature, in all our schemes of education. I fear that each values \\\s peculiar 
sect, more than his common religion, and his own confession or articles more 
than the common standard, the Bible. It is not Avondcrful, that such a spirit 
should still persevere in keeping the Bible out of the school and college. But, 
I trust that the truly christian influences, which are now spreading abroad 
over the whole Avorld, Avill do mvcli toward substituting christian fellowship 
for sectarian jealousy, and christian for heathen influences, throughout the 
whole course of education. I would not indeed have the architecture of An- 
tiquity defaced, nor the Classics burnt, as is said to have been the fate of both, 
at the hands of Gregory the Great; but I v>-ould dethrone the latter from 
their despotic control In our schools and colleges, over the heart, conscience 
and understanding of the young. I would degrade them from the rank of 
masters, to the condition of s<ervants, in the education of Christian children. 

Thus, the original absence of rcligiou, as a fcatui'o of general education, 
sectarian jealousy, the want of a practical sjilrlt of christian liberality, the 



129 

controversial character of religion, the apparent efficiency of public worship 
and of catechetical instruction, and the intermixture of the children of vari- 
ous denominations, at the same school, have been the principal causes of the 
continued exclusion of the Bible, from our plans of general education. 

But has not the time come, when a change may be advantageously and 
properly made V Is it credible, that no change ever will be made, that the 
Bible never will be an inseparable part of all education, from the earliest and 
lowest, to the latest and highest V For myself, I have no doubt, as to the an- 
swer to be given ; and believing as I do, that one of the first duties of the 
Reformation was, to have incorporated the Bible into the whole course of in- 
s*^ruction, I trust that the time is not far distant, when this principle will be 
universally acknowledged and acted on, " that the Bible is the only good basis 
and the only safe, enduring cement of education." 

Peculiar circumstances, incident to our own country, and the age, in which 
we live, indicate the present as the time, and the United States as the place, to 
take up and consider this deeply interesting and important question. Let us 
then proceed to do so, not daring, however, to hope, that much more can be 
accomplished now, than to direct attention to the subject, yet feeling that 
even that little is an object, worthy of accomplishment. 

Our country must be acknowledged an appropriate place ; when we con- 
sider its freedom from every species of intolerance and persecution, the 
equality of all sects, under our laws and constitutions, the absence ol super- 
stition, of church establishments, and of a priestly nobility, the total seperation 
of church and state, the general dependence of the clergy upon the people, 
and the extensive participation of the laity in church concerns. When we 
consider, also, the civil and political equality, which prevail among us, our 
state of society, so natural and inartificial, the general diffusion of knowledge, 
the constant approximation towards universal education, the unshackeled 
freedom and all-pervading influence of the press, the jilain practical character 
of all our institutions, the share of the people in the administration of gov- 
ernment, and the paramount authority of popular sentiment, Ave cannot but 
see a vast difference between our own and every other country, that has ever 
existed. Should the question be asked, "why is such a country, the appro- 
priate place, to consider and act upon the question, as to Bible Education '?" 
I would answer thus. It is peculiarly a fit place ; because we are plain, prac- 
tical people, all our schemes are founded on principles of natural right and 
duty, all our reforms arc of the same description, and have utility for their 
object, religious truth, duty, and usefulness are above all others, every thing 
depends on individual and social enterprise, popular patronage is the only 
one known, the people are the beginning, middle, and end of every thing. 

But, not onl}' is our country the fit place, the present is, in an eminent de- 
gree, the suitable period. It is an rera of unexampled light, in all that re- 
gai'ds the social condition and political improvement of man. It is equall}' 
an extraordinary aji'a, in whatever belongs to Science and Literature, and to 
all the various Arts, which contribute to adorn and refine society, to multiply 
the comforts, exalt the happiness, and enlarge the usefulness of man. Nor is 
it less a remarkable period, in a religious point of view, when we bear in 
mind the institutions, that have arisen, and the spirit that has prevailed in a 
very especial degree, within the last five and twenty years. The Sunday 
School and the Ijible Society, Tract and Missionary Associations, with those 
for meliorating the spiritual and moral condition of the Mariner, and many 
others of a kindred character, have arisen every where to honor and to bless 
our American Christendom. The spirit of the age is of the same noble or- 
der; for it is liberal in contributing both time and money, for all christian 
purposes ; and still more liberal in the christian temper and feelings, which 
are influeucing more and more, both clergy and laity. Now, it is obvious 



130 

that Christian Education is fitted to refine and dignify public sentiment, to 
enlijihten men on subjects of personal and social, of private and public duty ; 
to afford a higher, and purer standard of usefulness ; and by its combination 
with all other means of improvement, to make the people, jviser, and bet- 
ter, and happier than they would otherwise be. Let the Bible then be 
brou'dit to bear upon the affections of the heart, upon the powers of the un- 
derstanding, upon the immortal aspirations of the soul, and upon the whole 
character, in its interior and exterior relations, and if we have either the 
faith of religion, or the faith of experience, we must believe, that the happiest 
consequences will be the result. Hitherto, like the fabulous streams of Al- 
pheus and Arethusa, secular and christian education have existed entirely 
independent, though like them, thej- commence at the srhiie jjoint, extend, as 
it were, parallel through life, and terminate at the same place. But let them 
be inseparably blended, from infancy to manhood, and as the waters of 
Marah became sweet from the tree that was cast into them, so shall the bit- 
terness of secular be forever banished, by the purifying influences of Christ- 
ian Education. 

We have thus considered the origin of that practice, which exclude? relig- 
ion from schemes of general education, and the causes of its continuance. — 
We have seen that our country is peculiarly the appropriate j^'ace, and that 
the present is, in a remarkable degree, a suitable period, for considering and 
deciding this interesting question. Let us now proceed to inquire into the 
motives, which invite to a fundamental change in this matter. 

The limits of this Addres will not permit me to do more, than assign the 
reasons, which are derived from the principle of Duty. As a spiritual, and 
not merely a material being, man consists of a conscience, an understanding 
and a heart. Religion is the sphere of the first, knowledge of the second, 
and the affections of domestic and social life, of the third. On the first, es- 
sentially depend our happiness and perfection, here and hereafter : on the 
second, chiefly rests the business of lite : on the third, the greater jiart of our 
enjoyments and comforts, in the family circle, and in social intercourse. As 
the combination of all makes the most finished character, in the sight both of 
God and man, so the same union must of necessity, make the most complete 
scheme of education. How extraordinary then is the fact, that the first and 
last should have been so carefully excluded from schemes of general educa- 
tion ! From these are banished the enlightenment of that conscience, which 
is the peculiar empire of God himself; and the cultivation of those affections, 
which here below, embosom the whole human family, and ascending to heaven, 
commune with God, and Angels, and the spirits of the just ; while the under- 
standing is cultivated, as if this iverc the only important element, in the moral 
constitution of man. The course of study in every school, academy and 
college, attests the truth of the remark, that almost the only object of all 
schemes of general education, is to make scholars and men of business. But 
to cultivate the conscience and the affections, out of Avhich are the issues of 
life and death, of happiness and misery, forms no part of the scheme. _ A 
moment's reflection will satisfy every one, that almost the whole of education 
is devoted to the classics and mathematics. W we take, as the average years 
of education, from six to eighteen, a period of twelve years, we shall see at 
once, that three-fourths of tliem are dedicated to these two branches. Of the 
other three, at least five-sixths are allotted to studies, which have little if any 
influence at all, on the conscience and the heart. Thus, in a christian coun- 
try, in christian schools, academies and colleges, under the sanction, and even 
administration, to a great extent, of the Christian Ministry, and of Professing- 
Christians, we behold the appalling truth, that in a scheme of general educa- 
tion, not more than one-twenty-fourth part of it is devoted to the enlighten- 
ment of the conscience and the cultivation of the affections. In point of fact, 



131 

then, those things, which even the Anojels desire to look into, are neglected or 
carefully excluded, as though it were intended to demonstrate practically, 
how little they were esteemed. So complete has been the banishment of the 
Scriptures from all academic and collegiate instruction, tliat one might al- 
most imagine Infidel Rulers had foi'bidden the nse^of the Bible, in schools 
and universities, in imitation of the apostate Julian, who prohibited the 
Christians from studying the Books of the Gentiles. 

Duty is the great "business of Man's life ; it is the only standard of useful- 
ness, tiie only "guide to happiness. In exact proportion, as it is correctly 
taught, justly appreciated, and faithfully practiced, individuals and communi- 
ties" will be prosperous and hapjiy. The Spartan principle, to which they 
adhered with an inexorable fidelity, that may well shame the christian, was 
this — to teach that, which would be most valuable to the youth in manhood. 
Hence, tlie children of Sparta were regarded as Public Property, and trained 
for the service of the State. And, since war was the whole' end of their in- 
stitutions, education was moulded as a means to its attainment, with a skill as 
iron-nerved, and a spirit, as merciless and uncompromising, as those, which 
chraacterize the Indians of North America. Duringthe supremacy of Napoleon, 
"as every young man in the Empire had reason to anticipate a summons to 
the Army, the first object of education naturally was, to fit him for the field." 
The Persian children, while at school, "employed their time as diligently in 
learning the principles of justice, as the youth in other countries did to ac- 
quire tiie most difiicult arts and sciences." Diderot, though an Infidel, in- 
structed his daughter carefully in the New Testament, as the only code of 
morals. He disbelieved its divine origin, but he acknowledged the perfection 
of its practical morality, and not only desired, but labored to give to its purity 
and beauty, a transcendent infiuence over the character of his child. 

Such are the lessons, which the Christian learns from the Heathen, the 
Despot, and the Unbeliever. He confesses that duty is the very life of life, 
the fountain of all good, private and public, of all happiness, individual and 
domestic, social and national. He acknowledges, that his children are indeed 
public property ; but he rejoices that they are in a higher and nobler sense, 
the property of God : that he is their Creator, Ruler, and Judge ; that his 
Scriptures have brought life and immortality to light; that they are the only 
genuine standard of t^ruth and obligation ; that all are bound to study them, 
to imbibe their spirit, and to practice their precepts : and that the whole fab- 
ric of all our institutions, and of our society and government rests upon 
them. 

" In to oranis domus inclinata recurabit." 

The Heathen, the Tyrant, the Infidel mai'ch onward to the accomplishment 
of their purpose, sustained by a correspondent energy and perseverance ; 
but the Christian profits not by the lesson. Like Demosthenes, who loved to 
swear by the mighty dead of jNIarathon, but shrunk from the imitation of 
^heir glorious deeds, the Christian has banished from his plans of education, 
the Holy Scriptures ; as though to be deeply read in the Oracles of God, 
were not the chief end of life. Plato excluded Homer from his schemes of a 
Republic ; and, as though the Bible were a pestilent and dangerous book, 
the christian has rivalled silently, and, I believe for the most part, undesign- 
edly, the example of the Homer of the Poets; /or the Bible is no ivhere 
taught, as a part of a' complete course of general education. While the Ara- 
bians studied the mathematical and metaphysical science of Greece, they 
rejected her Orators and Poets : the former, because Grecian eloquence had 
neither part, nor lot in Mahoinedan despotism : the latter, because Grecian 
Idolatry was " married t^. immortal verse," in Grecian poetry. The Saracen 
acted consistently, whether we look to his politics or his religion; but how 
inconsistently does the Christian act, who excludes from his scheme of edu- 



132 

cation, the eloquence of him, who spake as never man spake ; and the poetry 
of Prophets, unrivalled in Grecian, Roman, and Arabian Literature ! The 
Mahometans valued the Koran too highly, to pollute their sacred volume, by 
the false and corrupt mythology of Grecian verse ; but Christians not only 
expose the young, designedly and joyfully, to the unhallowed influences of 
Paganism, hut these are constituted almost the vicegerents of education, in his- 
tory and eloquence, in rhetoric, poetry and hiorals. The French Poet D' 
Aurat employed the latter years of his life, in the attempt to discover, as he 
believed he could, the whole Bible in Homer : and assuredly, one might al- 
most be excused for the opinion, that the authors of schemes of education, in 
Christian countries, either set very little value on the Bible, or thought, with 
D' A^^irat, that its sublime morals, its spotless purity, its eternal sanctions, and 
spirit of peace, order, humility and love, would be discovered by youth, in 
the study of Homer and Virgil, of Cicero, Sallust, and Cassar. 

'■'■ Adolescens rempuUicam defendi" says Tully, '■'■ senex hand deseram;" 
but while the Christian believes, that moral education is far more important 
than mental, and that the former is indispensable for youths, he abstracts 
them during their studies, almost wholly from the only scheme of morals, 
■which teaches them to defend and never to forsake the cause of God, in youth, 
in manhood, or in old age. When Herault de Seehelles inquired of Bulfou, 
how many authors ought to be thoroughly and profoundly studied, he replied, 
there are only five. Bacon, Newton, Leibnitz, Montesquieu, and myself. If 
the Christian were asked the same question, he would not dare to name the 
Bible fii-st, and second, and third, as Demosthenes named delivery ; for his 
schemes of education would rise up in judgment against him. On the one 
hand, he admits, that we should train up a child in the way, in which he 
should go, that when he is old he may not depart therefrom ; whilst on the 
other, he makes religion no part of the plan of education. Nulla dies sine 
linea, the maxim of the ancient painter, becomes his rule for youth, in the 
study of geography and grammar, of languages, rhetoric and geometry. But 
hopeless would be the search for a Christian Institution, in which the paint- 
er's maxim is applied to the Scrlptui-es. One might have supposed that christ- 
ians, esteeming Religion as the pearl above all price, would have considered 
it an Insult to the majesty of God, contemptuous to the Holy Volume, and a 
reproach to themselves, to tolerate any scheme of education, of which Christ- 
ian duty and the Bible, were not a prominent feature, an inseparable part. — 
Every day that he lived, Cyprian called for the works of TertuUian, in the 
language of admiration and gratitude, ^^ Da miliimacjistram." And, assured- 
ly, not a day should elapse in any seminar}*, hoAvever humble or lofty, but 
the pupil should be taugiit, in imitation of the African Pi-elate, to dedicate a 
portion of his time to the stndy of our best and greatest Master, the only 
fountain of happiness, the only standard of duty, the Bible. 

If it be conceded, as it undoubtedly must be, that the Scriptures are the 
only test of truth, and tlie only guide to our duties, how exceedingly incom- 
plete must every plan of education be, which does not require of the young, 
to study daily this standard and this guide. If, indeed, the young be exposed 
to the sectarian spirit and dogmatical style of a divinity professor, more de- 
voted to his own creed, than to the Bible, we are not surprised, that he should 
acquire among them, the Cambridge nickname " Malleus Hereticorum." — 
Assuredly, however, no man would deserve or receive that title, who should 
reject the Metaphysics of polemical divinity, for the admirable common 
sense of the Sermon on the Mount : and the scholastic logic of sectarian 
Christianity, for the practical simplicity and beauty, benevolence and holiness, 
that plead so elo{iuently In the life and death, in the character and senti- 
ments of the Redeemer. Let it not be said, that men cannot be found thus 
to teach. The experiment has been actually and successfully tried, to a lim- 



133 

ited extent, in Snnrlay Sf^hools. If, indeed, yon apro'nt a Professor to ex- 
plain and vindicxte a p:^a-ti(_-ular creed, you could s ar'i ly 1 n.k for ativ otli' r 
than the unhappy fruits, which would unavoidably How from sectarian relig- 
ion, as a part of general education. Let relitrion, in tin's form, be appropri- 
ated to the church, to catechisms, to theoloirical seminaries, and even to the 
Sunday school. But, if yon recpiire of every instructor, (o teach the duties 
of life, from the Bible, 1 at least, believe, that you wou'd have nothin;r to 
fear. I speak advisedly, in expressing this opinion. Most teachers are lay- 
men, and these unquestionably are less devoted to sectarian distinctions, arid 
are mnch less influenced by the esprit de corps, than the clerory. If, instead 
of a sectarian text-book, the Bible be given to teachers, as their standard tor 
instruction, it must be obvious, that the risk of their pervertinir it to answer 
party views, is unworthy of notice. A very strong illustration of this remark, 
is found in the practice of clergymen themselves. Ahnnst all of them, are 
settled in churches, established with a view to the doctrine, discipline, and 
worship of particular denominations: and yet how rarely are sermons, purely 
sectarian, heard from their lips ! As a farther illustration, take the same 
persons, send them forth to pi-each, not to their own, but to a mixed couL're- 
gation, and still more rarely do we hear a sectarian discourse. How much 
more improbable then, would sectarian instruction be from laymen, Avhose 
studies, habits, and intercourse, are a still farther security for their oood sense 
and discretion. 

Let it not be said, that most teachers are incompetent to give reli"-ious in- 
struction, and that such would sometimes come with an ill-o-race fiom those, 
who honored religion, neither in precept, nor in practice. The first part of 
the objection seems to imply, that profound and vaiious knowledge is neces- 
sary ; but tliis is an error. A\'hen Sadolet requested the direction of Car- 
dinal Pole, in studying the Epistles of fet. Paul, he advised him, first to 
master those, which are preceptive and practical, and afterwards su( h as are 
chiefly devoted to mystei'ies and doctrines. Teachers, in like manner, even 
if left to themselves, would prefer the Gos[)els to the P^pisties. But this 
would undoubtedly be matter of regulation, like every other branch of the 
general scheme. The second part of the objection also deserves notice, for 
it supposes tin inconsistency between the life and instructions of the Teacher. 
The first happy effect of the ni;w system would be to make Parents, and 
Guardians, and Trustees, more circumspect in their choice. Is there a capa- 
ble instructor, Avhose sentiments and condu( t are not decidedly favorable to 
religion? At present, he receives employment; but change the plan, and 
you would never engage him, because he would have to teach from tlu^ Bible. 
Our seminaries have, at times, been dishonored by men, who have been ad- 
dieted to intemperance and profane swearing, who have spoken aixl written 
disrespectfully of religion, who profane the Sabbath, and rarely, if ever, at- 
tend the worship of Christian assemblies. Su<;li men could not be patronized 
under a scheme, embracing the daily study of the Bible. Whilst education 
is regarded as merel\' secular, and intellectual, the moral character, in those 
particulars, will not be scrutinized before, nor observed, after the appoint- 
ment. Again, I draw an illustration from the experience in all schools. — 
Is it not a common remark, that to teach others, is the most effectual mode of 
self-improvement, in the branches taught? No one doubts this, in the case 
of grammar and geography, rhetoric, languages and mathematics. And why 
should it not be equally true, with religious instruction ? The testimony of 
Sunday S-diooIs fiivors my argument ; for, it is well known to all, who take an 
interest in them, that the character of the Teacher has been repeatedly im- 
proved, by the instrucdon of the children entrusted to him. 

J8 



134 

Let us now inquire, whether manifest advantages are not presented, in re- 
lation to the pupil. And first let us examine such arguments, as are founded 
on the supposition, that the scheme is unnecessary. If this hh so, it must 
be either, because the subject is unworthy of any attention, or because it re- 
ceives elsewhere sufficient attention. The first view, most assuredly will not 
be ventured by any one. Let us consider the second. That the public ser- 
vices of the Sabbath are not at all a substitute, must be obvious to every one 
who reflects ; for the great majority of sermons are neither adapted to the 
capacity, nor are they intended for the improvement of the young. Cate- 
chetical instruction is not a substitute ; because it is exceedingly limited, and 
has almost unavoidably a large infusion of sectarianism. Nor is the Sunday 
School system a substitute ;" and besides, the course of instruction is very 
narrow, and is confined almost wholly to mere children. Nor can we rely on 
domestic education ; for we know, and the Sunday school system is the high- 
est proof, that the majority of parents are unwilling or incompetent. It 
would be as unwise to trust religious education to them, as to confide to them 
the general instruction of their children. Sunday schools may answer, with 
considerable alterations and improvpments, ibr c/dldren ; but can never be an 
adequate scheme of instruction from youth to manhood, whether we consider 
the very small portion of time employed in a whole week, the impossibility 
of having adequate teachers, in the higher departments, and the great num- 
ber, who attend general, but not Sabbath Schools. Independently, however, 
of these, the ])rincipal objection against sermons, catechetical instruction, do- 
mestic teaching, and Sunday schools, as adequate substitutes for the pro- 
posed plan, arises from the unhappy influence, exerted by the present scheme 
of exclusion over the hearts and minds of youth. Let us examine this sub- 
ject attentively. 

Is it not obvious, that the absolute separation of secular and religious edu- 
cation must unavoidably make this impression, that they are essentialli/ uncon- 
nected, and ourjkt to he kept totally independent each of the other. But is this 
true ? The first prepares a man only for the business of life ; the second, 
both for the business and the duties of life. Now, the business and the duties 
are indissolubly bound together in the nature of man, by God himself. Yet 
man by his scheme of instruction, has actually put assunder what God had 
joined together. It is th<? same with the affections of the heart. God has or- 
dained their exercise in every act of life, as inseparable from the very busi- 
ness of life. Yet, if we judge from his plan of education, ]\Ian has declared, 
that they have not a co-existence in real life ; for he has banished the culti- 
vation of the heart from schools of secular instruction. Languages, Grammar, 
Rhetoric and the Philosophy of the Mind, are taught alongside of Mathemat- 
ical Science, though totally different in character. Y'et, the religious cultiva- 
tion of the mind and the heart is excluded from all share in a scheme, whose 
object is to fit the young for happiness, duty, and usefulness. Assuredly, it 
must be obvious, that christian children will never learn their duties, as 
christian men and christian women, from geography and arithmetic, from 
grammatical or rhetorical works ; nor will the affections be cultivated bj' 
studying the whole circle of Mathematics. And yet, there is rarely an in- 
stance, "in the course of life, when we are called to the use of the various 
branches of knowledge, but that we ought to, and actually do exercise the 
sense of duty, if the conscience be enhghtened, and our feelings of the heart 
be well regulated. 

My next objection to the present scheme is, that the separation of religious 
from' secular education, gives to the former too much of a local, professional 
character. Religion seems as if it belonged only to the Clergy, and the 
Church, and the Sabbath. It acquires an air of constraint, a mannerism, un- 
friendly to its wholesome influence over the mind, the heart, the conscience, 



135 

and over the whole life. Its vital, practical, personal operations are obscured 
and weakened ; because it appears to be so entirely tbe business of one day 
and one place. Every other day and all other places, are dedicated, as tar 
as repects education, to the concerns of the world, if not altogether, at least, 
to a vast extent. In such a state of things, it is not possible for religion to 
pervade naturally and harmoniously, the whole structure of chai-acter. It 
cannot be realized to be the business of every day, and an essential element 
in every transaction of life. 

It appears to me also, that this separation promotes religious party spirit, 
strengthens sectarian prejudices, and leaves insensibly on the young mind, 
the impression, that there is no common ground between different sects. It 
is hardly possible to avoid this consequence ; for children grow up with the 
idea, not so much, that they are all Christian children, as that they belong to 
a particular sect. But let "the Bible be a part of the education common to 
all, and christian fellowship, with its harmonizing influences, would be an 
early, an all-pervading element in youthful character. Hence, reciprocal 
love and forbearance," liberal sentiments, and mutual respect and esteem, 
would be interwoven with all the studies of youth, and they would learn 
insensibly, but indelibly, experimentally, though not theoretically, that Chris- 
tianity is above all sects, and the Bible above all creeds and confessions : that 
Religion is pure and elevated, simple, beautiful and affecting, and common to 
all. 

I gather a farther illustration of the defectiveness of the present scheme 
from the fact, that religion is so rarely the subject of conversation. This 
arises, unquestionabh', in a good measure, from this, that most persons are 
not religious. But is not this very state of things the consequence, in part, 
of the unnatural separation, above referred to ? If you discard religion alto- 
gether from the business education of life, and confine it to the church and 
tSe Sabbath, do you not effectually prevent it from becpming an element of 
conversation, except in formal, religious intercourse ? But it religion be, as 
it certainly is, the chief constituent of all usefulness and happiness, if the Bible 
abound, and no one doubts it, with the most important tacts, the most inte- 
resting narratives, the noblest, purest sentiments, and the best examples, how 
can Ave doubt, that religion ought to enter largely into all the conversational 
intercourse of life V That it never will, under "the present system, theory 
demonstrates and experience testifies. That it would do so, as a natural con- 
sequence of the daily association of religious and secular instruction, is mani- 
fest. 

There is, it appears to me, in the present system of education, a radical, 
and serious deficiency, which the introduction of the Bible would supply. _ I 
refer to the fact, that youth are not taught, daily and habitually that education 
is a duty. To instruct them in Duty^ being no part of the present scheme, 
until you come to such a work as Paley's Moral Philosophy, the Teacher only 
adverts occasionally to the topic of their duty to study, with a view to their 
future virtue and usefulness. Emulation and ambition, too often the source 
of evil to the moral temperament of youth, Avhen not regulated and subsfer- 
vient to the sense of duty, are too much felt by them, and too much relied 
upon by Teachers. But, if the Bible were the ground work of education, and 
the companion of youth, from the primary school to the university, all educa- 
tion Avould be interwoven with the scheme of duty, as dependent upon and aux- 
iliary to it. Thus, the youth would not be "urged to study merely for the^ 
honor of his teacher, or through gratitude to his parents, or for the sake of 
his country, or on account of the pleasui-e of knowledge. The hifrher motives 
and sanctions of religion would be taught as the basis of his obligation to study. 
His duty to God would appear as the only fountain of all others: and from 
the beginning he would learn, that he was bound to study ; because his duty 



136 

to God, required it of him. All other considerations would ijather their 
strenirtli iVoni this: and all other duties would derive tlu'ir ])Owt'r to bind the 
conscienee, from the jiaraniount authority of this great law of obedience. Can 
any christian undervalue the deep and lasting advantages, that would accrue 
to youth, from this change in the principal motive and prevailing spirit of 
study V 

The negative influences exerted by the present scheme, on the feelings and 
opinions, and through them, on the entii-e character of youth, are deserving 
of notice. Nor must we despise them, for they are often more powerful 
and durable, because they are silent, secret and indirect. If Teachers were to 
proclaim publicly and boldly to their pupils, that Eeligion was of little 
consequence, and had nothing to do with their preparation for the business of 
life, we should be exceedingly shocked. If the Instiuctor yvere to express an 
opinion, in like manner, to the young, that Heathen Mythology is a preferable 
study to the Bible, we should not restrain our indignation and astonishment. 
How exceedingly moreover would that indignation and astonishment be en- 
hanced, if we were to hear such a sentiment from the ministers of the holy, 
humble, perfect Jesus, in favor of a system, so immoral, and licentious, and 
indecent as the Pantheon of Paganism ! And yet we tolerate practically 
very nearly the same thing. What other construction but this, can the young 
put upon the whole plan of their edui-ation ? Are they told that the Bible is 
the Book of God, written by the inspii-ed pen of the Prophet and the Apostle ? 
Yet this divine volume, is wholly abandoned lor human works, unconnected 
with it. Are they taught, that there is no God. but the God of the Scrip- 
tures, that he is their Creator an<l (Governor, and is to be their Judge, and 
the Dispenser of fnture rewards and punishments ? Yet the attributes of 
Jehovah, as drawn by himself, are no part of their daily studies ; while the 
character and actions of Jupiter and Neptune, of Mars and Apollo, of Juno, 
Minerva and Venus, are continually before them : and they are expected to 
be more familiar witli the Pantheon of Heathenism, than with the Word of 
(xod. Are they told that the character of the Savior, is of more value as a 
noble, pure, simple model, than all the combined excellence of antiquity ? 
Yet the sentiments and actions of that Redeemer form no part of their daily 
education, but they are required to be intimately acquainted with those of the 
Gods and Goddesses, Demigods and Heroes of Paganism. Are they told that 
the Morals of the New Testament are incomparably superior to all that man 
has to offer V Yet, this very book is banished from their course of studies ; 
while they are led to the formation of their character from a heathen work, 
the Offices of Cicero. They are told, as it were, in the very language of Sir 
Wm. Jones, " that the Scriptures contain, independently of a divine origin, 
more true sublimity, more exquisite beauty, purer morality, more important 
history, and finer strains both of poetry and eloquence, than could be collected 
within the same compass, from all other books, that were ever composed, in 
any age, or in any idiom." And yet the book, " rich in a more precious trea- 
sure, eloquent in a more sublime language, noble b}' the right of a miraculous 
creation, and consecrated by the imposition of a mightier hand," is banished 
from the whole system of education ; while the history, poetry, phijpsophy, 
and eloquence of pagan Greece and Uonie occupy the largest portion of their 
time. They are told, that the heavens declare the glory of God, that the 
firmament showethhis handy work: that, in the universe, they ought to studv 
his existence and attributes, and yet the Bible, the noblest work of his Crea- 
tion, of his Providence, and of his Grace, is no part of their education. Per- 
haps, they are required to study the evidences of revealed religion. And yet, 
the scriptures themselves are never opened : and those infallible, surprising testi- 
monies to tlic divinity of the Old and New Testament, vvhich constitute the liv- 
jug wituesd within them, and can be discovered only in themselves, are sealed up 



137 

from their Yiew. Is it possible, that such things have no influence on the minds 
and hearts of youth V Can they respect the Bible, and its religion, audits 
ministers and the services of the House of (lod, as they ought, wlien such con- 
tradictions are ever before their eyes? What relish can edu''ated men have 
for the simplicity and purity, humility and holiness of the New Testament, 
when their youth has been spent in the study and admiration of heathen mo- 
rals and mythology, of heathen poetry and eloquence V Can they know, and 
love, and serve God, as they ought ; can they acquire the Christian temper 
and character ; can they rightly estimate their duties to their fellow-men, as 
children of a common parent, and brethren of one family, when the only 
standard of duty and usefulness and happiness, is thus carefully excluded, 
throughout the whole course of their education ? 

Let us illustrate these views by the case of a Clergyman, who is an instruc- 
tor of youth. When he extols the New Testament, as the supreme Code of 
Morals, and yet teaches morality to christian youths fi'om the Oflices of Ci- 
cero; where he places .the writings of Solomon above all mortal compositions, 
for the knowledge of human nature, and lor admirable sentiments, and 3'et 
selects instead of them, Horace, Juvenal and Persius, as his text-books ; when 
he speaks of the Historical portions of Scripture, as the most authentic and 
valuable of their kind, and yet compels his scholars to study only the Grecian 
and Roman Historians ; when he acknowledges that the Gospels are the most 
dignified, pure and interesting of all Biogi'aphies, and yet confines his pupils 
to Nepos, Plutarch, and Tacitus; when he ranks Moses and .Job, David and 
Isaiah, far above the poetry of man, and yet excludes them for Homer, and 
Virgil, and Ovid ; how is it possible that such things should not have a sensi- 
ble effect on the young ? When they find a clergyman, taking his text from 
the Bible, on Sunday, yet adopting Pagan books lor their instruction, during 
the week ; when they hear him on the Sabbath, describing the religion of 
heathenism, as idolatrous and corrupt, as full of abominations and impurities, 
as fitted only to darken the understanding, brutalize the passions, harden the 
heart, and deprave the moral taste, and yet find him, during the rest of the 
week, familiarizing them with the mythology of Greece and Rome, and with 
the sentiments and actions of Greeks and Romans, formed upon that standard; 
how can they resist the impression, practically, yet deeply, though silently 
made, that, in point of fact, he considers the Avritings of Pagan Antiquity, as 
superior to those of Prophets and Apostles, in preparing youth for the busi- 
ness, the duties, and the happiness of life V 

Christianity, it must be admitted, is altogether superior to heathenism, 
whether we regard the natural, or the moral world ; the individual, or society, 
or government. Christianity affects the understanding and imagination, the 
conscience and heart incomparably more than classic mythology. Its mate- 
rials are altogether more beautiful, noble and various. Yet we are told, im- 
plicitly, though not expressly, that the mythology of Greece and Rome is of 
more consequence in education, than Christianity. Accordingly, the former 
finds a liberal share of attention from beginning to end, the latter scarcely any 
place at all. What master's table in the school room is without the Pantheon 
and the Classical Dictionary ; bnf who has ever seen there, the Scriptures, or a 
Concordance, or a Dictionary of the Bible ? To hold that Christianity cannot 
and will not produce a far greater and better effect on the mind, heart and 
character, than all the works of classic antiquity, would be as inconsistent, as 
to believe that man, as affected by our Republican Government, so simple 
and practical, so natural and equitaijle, so peaceful and sober, is far inferior to 
man, such as he appeared in the turbulent, oppressive and military Aristo- 
cracies and Democracies of Greece and Rome. Now, the imjiortant question 
is not, whether the Bible is better fitted than th.e Heathen ( !assics, to make 
poets, and orators (and yet I do not doubt even this) ; but whether the latter 



138 

can bear any comparison with the former, in moulding public men, by ele- 
vating, expanding and refining their minds, and in fashioning the private man, 
by teaching him " the whole duty of man," in all the relations of lite. 

Our state of Soi_'iety and Government furnish ample illustration. Let us 
suppose that republican school masters were to employ the largest portion of 
the time of their srholars, in teaching them the principles and histories of 
monarchies, in setting before them the lives and deaths of tj'rants, and in re- 
commending to their admiration the sentiments and opinions of the friends 
of Despots. This would be strange evidence of republican attachments; and 
yet, would it be more inconsistent, than the genei'al j^ractice of christian in- 
strui-tors, in banishing the Scriptures and clinging to Pagan authors, as the 
bosom friends of youth ? In vain, under the former state of things, with such 
unnatural and pernicious influences, would the patriot look for citizens, intel- 
ligent and high minded, admiring and practicing rational, regulated freedom. 
Such schemes would never make the Patriot-Freeman, whose character, as 
portrayed in Lucan, has no parallel in Homer or Virgil, and of which the 
finest thought was doubtless borrowed from the life and death of the Savioi\ 

" Hi, mores, hfec dm-i immota Catonis, 
Secta fuit scrvare moclum tinemque tenere, 
Naturamque sequi patriaique impendere vitam, 
Nee sibi sed toti gtnitum se credere mxindo." 

In vnin, under the latter, do we look for a divine maniftjstation of the glory 
and beauty, holiness and purity, meekness and humility of the christian life. 

The teuvlency of the existing state of things cannot be mistaken ; for we 
behold their effects all around us. Religion is degraded from its prober 
elevation, and stripped of its daily, hourly influences, in the de^ elopement 
and formation of character. An abiding sense of its truth and value, a deep 
reverence for the Bible and its precepts, habitual recurrence to them, as the 
only standard of duty, and the only guide to happiness ; the acknowledgement 
of its authority, in all the affairs of life ; a ready accjuiescence in its lawful 
control over the conscience and heart ; and its ever-living, ever-moving influ- 
ence over the whole character, in thought, word and deed, are actually unknown 
to a vast extent, under the practical operation of the present system. But 
change that system, by incorporating the study of the Bible with the whole of 
education, as not too lofty for the subordinate, nor too humble for the most 
dignified branches, and we may expect a great improvement in the religious 
and moral character of eai-li successive generation. 

May we not derive an argument in favor of these views, from a well-known 
fact ? I refer to the gVeat superiority both of man and woman, in all the rela- 
tions of life, under the influence of Christianity, over the character of both sexes, 
among heathen nations, not excepting even Greece and Rome. Whether we 
regard privatf character, in its personal, dom.estic and social attributes, or 
public character, in its home or foreign relations, this superiority is manifest. 
That other causes have co-operated with Christianity, in producing these re- 
sults cannot be doubted ; but this has exerted a far greater power than those. 
Two illustrations of this position occur to me. 'The flrst is, that there is a 
wider difference, between the ancients and moderns, as to pri rate, than ptiblic 
Characters. This has arisen from the fact that Chi-istianity has met with less 
to counteract its influences, in private, than in public life. The connection 
between Church and State, in Eui-ope, so far from meliorating the character of 
public men, has tended, in the opinion of our country, at least, to corrupt and 
degrade it. The influence of Christianity, in the form of church establishments, 
is not the legitimate influence of a pure, humble, holy religion ; but of wealth 
talents, rank and piitronage, tiuder the form of a great national institution, and 
political, rather than ecclesiastical, and ecclesiastical, rather than religious. — 



139 

When it is considered also, that all Europe, with hardly an exception, has 
been under the government of hereditary ^louarchs, that scarcely an\- of these 
have been reliirious men; that hereditary nohles, corrupted !)}• Avcallh, power 
and tamily pride, have been always around them, and tliat so many public 
men have belonjied to noble families, or have been connected with them, we are 
not surprised, that Christianity should have exerted so little influence, in the 
formation of public character, among the nations of Europe. It may be af- 
firmed with confidence, that, an opposite state of things, existing in this coun- 
try, very difFerent results might have been e.xpected. The jjublic character 
of the United States, whether we look to the Great Men, whom we have pro- 
duced, or to the Nation itself, exhibits in general, a higher standard of simpli- 
city, candor and dignity, of vii-tue, moderation and good s^nse. Jn the Old 
World, Christianity, though subject to many grievous oppres.sions, though de- 
formed and debased, has had a sensible influence on private character. \Vhen- 
ever a reasonable opportunity has been afforded, as is more especially the 
case in England, it has purified and elevated the individual; and has given a 
beauty and propriety, a spirit of benevolence, duty, and usefulness to private 
character, unexampled in Greece or l\ome. To all the relations of pri\ate 
life, it has imparted a loveliness and dignity, a value and authoi-ity, unknown 
before. It has raised the standard of duty ; it has furnished higher motives 
to usefulness ; it has multiplied and e.xalted rational enjoyments. With such 
power, even under all the disadvantages and discouragements, that encircled 
it, private life, in modern Christian Europe, must then have excelled private 
life, among the Greeks and Romans. If we turn to our own country, these 
views are confirmed ; for, as on the one hand, Christianity is unshackeled and 
unmutilated by the institutions, prejudices and super^^titions of Europe, so on 
the other, Ave, at least, have the satisfaction of believing, that jn-ivate character 
has attained with us, a higher standard in general, under Christian influences, 
than in Europe. 

The second illustration, to which I refer, is found in the fact, that the im- 
provement of zi'o???^/; has exceeded that of wan. All, who are acquainted 
with the history of female character, in ancient and modern Europe, are 
aware, that Christianity has meliorated in an extraordinary degree, the condi- 
tion of women. Keligion has restored them to th':;ir natui'al station in society, 
as wives and mothers, as daughters and sisters. It has given them the influence 
of temper, manners and affection, of sense and virtue, instead of the power of a 
haughty, though degraded favorite, or of a wedded partner, tittle less than a 
prisoner for life. It has indeed given " unto them, beauty for ashes, the oil 
of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." Chris- 
tianity has enlarged and dignified the sphere of their duty and usefulness, has 
purified their feelings, cultivated their understandings, and given them tenfold 
reward of virtuous enjoyments. Under such influences, women have arisen 
from the degradation and wretchedness, to which they had been consigned, 
even by classic Paganism. They have nobly vindicated their rights, by the 
honorable and efTicient discharge ot the higher and better duties allotted to 
them. Our own country certainly affords the most complete and satisfactory 
exemplification of this contrast. 

Let us now consider the chief argument, derived from this view of female 
character. Not only has Religion exalted modern,- above ancient female 
character ; but it has improved the modern woman, more than the modern 
man. Perhaps, it may be said, that there was more room for improvement, 
in the condition and attributes of the former, than of the latter. Whether 
this be so or not, is immaterial ; for if a greater change has been wrought, in 
the same period of time, in the one, than in the other, and religion has pro- 
duced it, my argument is still the same. If both were originally on a level, 
and the former is now more advanced than the latter, my proof is complete. 



140 

Or if woman had been more dofrraded tlian man ; and both had exceedingly 
improved, vet in such a ratio, that the former is now as tar advaneed as the 
latter, still my eonelusiou is just. In point of fact, women are aefually in a 
hiijher state of improvement than men, so far as the influences of Christianity 
are concerned. If man boasts of the relioion of the undcrstandinij;, and of a 
more varied 'and extensive religions knowledge, woman excels him in the 
relisjion of the heart. All her affections are the bosom friends of Religion, 
whenever she is piously disposed. Her tenderness of heart, her sensibility of 
conscience, the nature of her duties and trials, and griefs, her freedom from 
the temptaticms of selfishness and vice, and wealth, and ambition, of false 
honor and false pride, the inward character of her resources against disap- 
pointment and sorrow, pain and misfortune, all contribute to make the perso- 
nal religion of women, more consistent and firm, more simple, pure, and 
fervent^ than that of men. The number of pious Avomen has always exceeded 
that of pious men : and the religious character of the female sex has generally, 
approached nearer to the perfect example of the Savior. 

Let us now resume the argument on the subject of education, as sustained 
by the t\Vo illustrations just given. I have said that man, in modern times, 
has become, from the operations of Christianity, a more elevated being in the 
scale of creation, thin man, in Pagan Greece and Rome. I have said also 
that this difference is more perceptible, in private, than in public life, in the 
character of woman, than that of man : and that the reason is, because Reli- 
gion has been enabled to exert a more steady, intimate, natural influence in 
private, than in public life, and over woman, than over man. From these 
premises, I reason thus. We see that the power of religion is less over men, 
in public^ than in private life. How can this be remedied ? Assuredly, in 
no other way, than by multiplying and strengthening its influences in private 
life. The private man eventually becomes the public man. We cannot in- 
deed single out the few, who are destined for public stations, from the many, 
who are "to remain in retirement. AVe must, therefore, educate all, so as to 
subject every one to the influences, which are so important to the public cha- 
racter. This must be done in youth, if done at all ; and h^w can we better 
accomplish it, than by the proposed union, between secular and religious edu- 
cation. When Leonora Oalligai was accused of employing the arts of sorcery 
to influence Rlary de INIedicis, she replied, that she had used only th.it power, 
which great minds have over weak ones. Such is the control, Avhich ought 
to be exercised by Public Men, over the multitudes, subjected to their lawful 
authority. And "how can their dominion over life, character, liberty, and pro- 
perty, over private and pul)lic happiness and improvement, attain the height 
of moral excellence and moral power, unless their superiority be founded on 
the reliijion of the Bible, the purest fountain of mor^il excellence, the noblest 
instrument of moral power V But we have also seen, that from circumstances, 
arising out of the peculiarity of their respective situations, men are less liable 
to be affected and governetl by religion than women. It is impossible to as- 
similate the condition of men to that of women, in respect to the peculiar 
causes, which have given such an ascendancy to Chiistian influence, over the 
character of women. Hence it is obvious, that we ought to shape our scdiemes 
of education, with a view to this state of things. Let us endeavor then to 
train the youth, so as to place him from the earliest, to the latest period of in- 
struction, under the daily influences of religion, as a vital, inseparabe Ingre- 
dient in the daily bread of education. And how can this be done, safely, 
wisely, effectually, unless hi/ the introduction of the Bible, as a text hook, at 
ever// stnr/e of his pror/ress,from the primary school to the university ? 

The import mce of these considerations may be still farth(^r illustrated, by 
the following view. In Heathen Nations, both ancient and modern we find 
an exact conformity between the character of religion as a cause, and that of 



141 

individual? and nations, as an effect. Tliis corresponds so accurately in its 
lineaments and character to that, as to leave no doubt, that the former -was the 
master hand, which sketched the picture and disposed its lights and shades. 
In Mahometan Nations, also, we observe the same correspondence, between 
the state of society and the professed religion. But, when we look at Christ- 
ian countries, we are shocked at the difference between iIk; character of their 
religion, and that of their inhabitants. How shall we account for this wonder- 
ful harmony in the one case, for this awful contrast in the other V Undoubt- 
edly, in this way, that in Pagan and INIussulman Nations, there is nothino- 
to counteract the free and full influence of their religion, on the conscience, 
the understanding, and the heart, in private and public stations. But, in 
Christian countries, numberless counter-currents, the relics of barbarism and 
prejudice, of heathenism and superstition, of obsolete manners and customs, 
are continually disturbing and polluting, the broad and deep, the calm, clear 
stream of religion. Hence, the imperfections and inconsistencies, Avhich we 
see in the private and public character of Christian communities. This must 
be admitted to be eminently disgraceful, and must be ascribed to some radical 
defect in our institutions. I grant that it may be attributed partly to the 
natural depravity of man, and partly to the defectiveness of our reliaious sys- 
tems; but I believe the chief cause to be the unnatural and total separation of 
secular and religious education. Until this evil shall be remedied, we must 
continue to present a picture of deformitj^ and inconsistency. But, I trust, 
that the time has ai'rived, when this subject, all-important, and all-interesting 
as it is, will be taken up, and will be candidly and seriously discussed. Of 
the result, I cannot doubt, under the blessing of that Providence, who hath 
created man, a little lower than the angels, who hath conferi-ed on him domin- 
ion over the works of his hand, who hath promised him a house, not made 
with hands, eternal in the heavens, and hath given him the Bible, as the Tree 
of Life, in this valley of the shadow of Death. 

I shall not attempt, in this discourse, to trace even the outline of a scheme. 
My present object is not, to propose a plan, but to invite attention to an all- 
important subject. I have not the ambition, which rejoices to found a new 
system, and to gather around it a band of converts. But, in the discharge of 
duty, I do delight, to lead the way in valuable and interesting inquiries :"and 
I shallbe amply repaid, if Parents, Guardians, and Instructors, Patriots and 
Christians, Philanthropists and Scholars, wil! seriously and faithfully examine 
the question, "■ought not the Bible to he an inseparable part of all education, 
from the primnri/ school to the universitj/ ? " 

To the y 'arent, I would say, your offspring are the children of God. On 
you, they depend for education. God has commanded you to train them be- 
times, to know and to serve, to love and to enjoy him. The paths of business 
are equally the paths of temptation and duty. Religion belongs to every 
thought, and word, and deed. As tlicn the Bible is the'only standard of duty, 
why do you not interweave it with the whole scheme of secular education ? To 
the Guordian, I would say, what are you but a Parent, not indeed, after the 
order of Nature, but by the ai)pointment of departed friendship, or by the 
protective authority of the Orphan's Tribunal V You have assumed the obli- 
gations of a Parent. Why then will you not act the Parent's part, in giving 
to your adopted children, the Bible, as the daily bread of education ? To the 
Instructor, I would say, you stand in the place of Parent and Guardian. Their 
duties are unquestionaoly yours. To you is transferred, not only the obliga- 
tion to teach, but more especially the selection of appropriate books, and the 
regulation of the order and proportion of studies. What Parent or Guardian 
has ever interfered with your plans ? Hov/ entirely, and with what a cordial 
confidence, have they appointed you to think, to consult, to decide, to act for 
19 



142 

tliem V Why then have you excluded the Bible of those very Parents and 
Guardians, from the whole scheme for the education of their children and 
wards V To the Patriot, I would say, can you doubt, that to the Bible, your 
country owes not only her religious liberty, and her entire moral condition, 
but, to a great extent, her civil and political rights, her science, literature and 
arts ? The Bible is emphatically the book of truth and knowledge, of free- 
dom and happiness to your country. Children you regard as public property : 
and you know, that they will honor and serve their country best, the more 
the}' are instructed in the Scriptures, and imbued with their spirit. Why 
then, do you withhold the full benefit of those sacred oracles, by thus proscrib- 
ing them, in every scheme of education ? To the Christian, I would say, you 
admit the divinity of the Scriptures, their absolute authority and inestimable 
■worth. You concede, that they are the common property of all ; that even 
children may profit by them, since they are so simjile and plain, that the way- 
faring man, though a fool, shall not err therein. Why then do you not give 
them this lamp of life, as well as the lamp of knowledge, to guide them daily, 
with harmonious beams, in their preparation for the inseparable duties and 
business of life. To the PliUantliropist, 1 would say, the testimony even of 
the Infidel must satisfy you, that the Believer walks in " ways of pleasantness 
and paths of peace." You know, that Religion, viewed merely as a temporal 
institution, is a treasure-house of blessings to individuals and nations. You 
are convinced that religion belongs to the child and the boy, to the youth and 
the young man, no less than to maturity of years and to age. You love 
mankind, and watch with intense anxiety, the progress of youth to manhood, 
in the preparation for duty and honor, for usefulness and happiness. These 
are inseparable from religion, and this must be sought in the Bible. Why 
then have you not made the scriptures a text-book for daily instruction, in 
common with the usual branches of secular education ? To the Scholar, I 
would say, we offer you a more ancient, venerable, noble classic, than Is to be 
found In the whole compass of Grecian and lloman Literature. If yon boast 
tJiatthc Aristotles and the Platos, and the TuUies, of the classic ages " dipped 
their pens in intellect," the sacred authors dipped theirs in inspiration. If 
those were the " Secretaries of Nature," these were the Registers of the very 
Author of Nature. If Greece and Rome have gathered Into their cabinet of 
curiosities the Pearl of Poetry and Elorpience, the diamond of History and 
Philosophy, God himself has treasured up in the Scriptures, the poetry and 
eloquence, the philosophy and history of Sacred Lawgivers, of Prophets and 
Apostles, of Saints, Evangelists and Martyrs. In vain may you seek the pure 
light of Universal Truth In the Augustan ages of Antkjuity, for in the Bible 
only is the Poet's wish fulfilled, 

" And like the Sun be all one boundless eye." 

In sublimity and beauty, in the descriptive and pathetic, in dignity and sim- 
plicity of narrative, in power and comprehensiveness, depth and variety of 
thought, in purity and elevation of sentiment, the most enthusiastic admirers 
of the heathen classics have conceded their inferiority to the Scriptures. The 
Bible, indeed, is the only universal classic, the classic of all mankind, 
of ever}' age and country, of time and eternit}', humble and simple as the ]u-l- 
mer of the child, grand and magnificent as the Epic and the Oration, the 
Ode and the Drama, when Genius, with his chariot of fire, and his horses of 
fire, ascends in a whirlwind, into the heaven of his own invention. Why then, 
ye admirers of the sublime, the wonderful, the fair, in Grecian and Roman 
Literature, do you admit these, as the daily companions of youth ; whilst you 
banish the best classic the Avorld has ever seen, the noblest, that has ever hon- 
ored and dignified the language of mortals ? 



143 

To All, to the Parent, Guardian, and Instructor, to the Patriot and Christian, 
the Philanthropist, and Scholar, I would say, the Bible is the only Book, 
which God has ever sent, the only one he ever will send, into this world. All 
other books are frail and transient as time, since they are only the Registers 
of Time ; but the Bible is durable as Eternity, for its pages contain the Re- 
cords of Eternity. AH other books are weak and imperfect, like their author, 
man ; but the Bible is a transcript of infinite power and perfection. Every 
other Volume is limited in its usefulness and influence ; but the Bible came 
forth conquering and to conquer ; rejoicing as a giant to run his course, and 
like the Sun, '' there is nothing hid from the heat thereof." The Bible only, 
of all the myriads of books, the world has seen, is equally important and in- 
teresting to all mankind. Its tidings, whether of peace or of woe, are the same 
to the poor, the ignorant and the weak, as to the rich, the wise and the jiow- 
erful. Among the most remarkable of its attributes is justice, for it looks with 
impartial eyes on kings and on slaves, on the hero and the soldier, on philo- 
sophers and peasants, on the eloquent and the dumb. From all, it exacts the 
same obedience to its commandments, and promises to the good, the fruit ot 
his labors, to the evil, the reward of their hands. Nor are the purity and ho- 
liness, the wisdom, benevolence and truth of the Scriptures, less conspicuous, 
than their justice. 

In vain, may we look elsewhere, for the only true model of character, the 
model of the Parent, Guardian, and Instructor, of the Patriot and Christian, 
and of the Philanthropist and Scholar. Would yon have your child, if spared 
in the providence of God, to fill as becomes him, a Father's part " in the mild 
majesty of private life V" Would you have him to be the faithful Guardian, if 
called to that office ? Would you have him as an Instructor, eminent for tem- 
per, fidelity and usefulness ? Then let him dally study the only standard for 
the Parent, the Guardian, the Instructor. Would you have him a Patriot, 
pure in his motives, elevated in his views, inflexible in his principles V Would 
you have him a Christian, in simplicity of purpose acceptable to God, in fervor 
of adoration the imitator of seraphs, in benevolent deeds approved of archan- 
gels, and the delight of his fellow-men ? Bid him then, daily, to drink at the 
Christian fountain of li\-ing waters. Would you have him a Philanthropist, 
gentle, compassionate, liberal, considerate ? Send him, every day that he 
lives, to the Book of Him, who is the infinite, supreme Philanthropist, pecu- 
liarly and emphatically such ; for God so loved the world, that he gave his 
only begotton son, to die for the world, even the death of the cross, ^^'^ould 
you have him a Scholar, rich in the treasures of genius, adorned by the ac- 
complishments of taste, and familiar with the subhmity and beauty, not only 
of the natural, but of the moral, intellectual and spiritual world ? Then, let 
him dedicate a portion of each day, with intense enthusiasm, to the study of 
Him, who is the Author of Genius and Taste, and the Creator of the visible 
and invisible Universe. 

To All, I would say, what are to be the destinies of your children in this 
world ? To the many among them, we know will be assigned the private 
station, rich in the blessings and enjoyments, but encircled in the trials, temp- 
tations and griefs of social and domestic life. To the few will be entrusted 
the honor and welfare of their country, the peace and improvement of the 
world, the highest and best interest of man. These indeed cannot now be 
separated fx'om those, as we survey, with mortal eyes, the countless multitudes 
of the young, that crowd the schools and colleges of our land. If we look 
abroad from the mountain's head, over the vast expanse of vallies and plains, 
buried from our view in an ocean of mist, we know that most of it is destined 
to return again to the earth, In the morning dew, in the showers of spring, or in 
the summer rain. But some, we feel assured, though undistinguished by mortal 
sight, will furnish forth the bridal chamber of the setting sun, an dazzled in the 



144 

glorious arch of the rainbow. In like manner, though we cannot discern the 
illustrious few from the obscure multitude, we know with absolute certainty, 
that, some at least of your children, will be, in future years, invested with the 
power and honors of Public Men ? Are they, then, in the order of Provi- 
dence, to wield the sceptre of a mighty influence, among the Great of the 
Earth ? Arc they to be summoned to control the fortunes of their country, 
as Statesmen and Legislators, as Orators and Patriots '? Are they to lay 
down their lives, holy and precious offerings, in the martyrdom of Patriotism 
or Religion ? Are they to extend the boundaries of Science, to adorn the 
empire of the Arts, to enrich and decorate the Literature of their Age, and 
not to leave behind them " a line, which dying they might wish to blot V" Are 
they to visit " Earth's loneliest bounds, and Ocean's wildest shore," to dare the 
perils of frozen or burning climes, to plant the dwellings of man, in the wil- 
derness of the brute, or to bless with civilization, the desolate life of the savage 
and barbarian ? Are they to be holiest of the holy, blest and greatest among 
the good. Heralds of the Everlasting Gospel, Priests of the Most High God ? 
Are they to be the Apostles of their Age, rivals of Augustine, Boniface and 
Xavier, of Gilpin and Schwartz, of Eliot, Martyn and Heber ? Are they to 
scatter the lightnings of divine wrath, with INIassillon and Bourdaloue, with 
Taylor and Whitfield, with Hall and Chalmers? Or like Fenelon and Fle- 
chier, Beveridge and Wilson, to persuade in the elocjuence of heavenly love? 
Are these indeed, to be the destinies of some, at least, of your children ? Look 
abroad then, through the world of the living and the dead, and you will search 
in vain for a standard of real greatness, or a fountain of sublime virtues, for a 
parent of exalted duties, or a model of true glory, comparable to the Scrip- 
tures? Let their beams shine then daily on the minds, let their fires daily 
glow in the hearts of your children. Thus, if they are to be among the Great 
of the Earth, they will be greatest of the great ; for they will be servants of 
God, as well as of man. 

But such can be the destinies of only a few. What then is to become of all 
the rest ? To them will be allotted the calm, secpiestered vale of life, the 
duties and enjoyments of social and domestic circles. Their only titles will 
be found in the names of Father and Son, of Husband and Brother, of Neigh- 
bor, Friend and Citizen. To some will be entrusted an enlarged usefulness, 
even in the narrow sphere of their obscurity. But to others willbe allotted 
little more, than 

" Ehymes uncouth, with shapeless sculpture decked. 
And names and years, spelt by th' unlettered Muse." 

On some, will descend the glittering shower of riches, and the fortunate stream 
of life will rollover golden sands. On others, the storm of ruin will burst, in 
fearful desolation. To some will be given, to sit each under his own fig-tree 
and vine ; whilst others must pass under the yoke of dependence. Some, in 
fine, will behold in the covenant-cloud, a never-failing rainbow of peace, and 
others, that go forth on their way, weeping, shall sow in tears, to reap in joy. 
But whatever be their lot, Avhether poverty, or wealth, prosperity or adver- 
sity, social influence or a solitary station, the Bible will be the only land-mark 
they can trust. Send tlieni forth then, on the ocean of life, perilous and trea- 
cherous as it is ; but teach them in daily education, to regard the Bible as their 
Beacon of safety, and, whether sunshine or gloom, the storm or the calm, the 
beauty and wealth of spring, or the nakedness and desolation of winter be 
their lot, all must be well with them in Time ; for all shall be well with them 
in Eternity. 



145 

Rousseau on the Bible. 

" This divine book, the only one, which is indispensable to the Christian, 
need only to be read ■with reflection, to inspire love for its author, and the 
most ardent desire to obey its precepts. Kever did virtue speak so sweet a 
language ; never was the most profound Avisdom expressed with so much energy 
and simplicity. No one can arise from its perusal, without feeling himself bet- 
ter than he was before. 

The majesty of the scriptures strikes me with astonishment, and the sanc- 
tity of the gospel addresses itself to my heart. Look at the volumes of the 
philosophers, with all their pomp : how contemptible do they appear in com- 
parison to this ! Is it possible, that a book at once so simple and sublime, can 
be the work of man ? Can he who is the subject of its history, be himself 
a mere man V Was his the tone of an enthusiast, or of an ambitions secta- 
ry ? What sweetness ! What purity in his manners ! What an affecting 
gracefulness in his instructions ! What sublimity in his maxims ! What 
profound wisdom in his discourses ! What presence of mind, what sagacity and 
propriety in his answers ! How great the command over his passions ! Where 
is the man, where the Philosopher, who could so live, suifer, and die, without 
weakness and without ostentation ! When Plato described his imaginary 
good man, covered with all the disgrace of crime, yet worthy of all the re- 
wards of virtue, he described exactly the character of Jesus Christ. The 
resemblance was so striking, it could not be mistaken, and all the Fathers of 
the Church perceived it. What prepossession, what blindness must it be to 
compare the son of Sophronius, to the son of Marj- ! What an immeasura- 
ble distance between them ! Socrates, dying wituoutpain, and without igno- 
miny, easily supported his character to the last; and if his death, hoAvever 
easy, had not crowned liis life, it might have been doubted whether Socrates, 
with all his wisdom, was any thing more than a mere sophist. He invented, 
it is said, the theory of moral science. Others however, had before him put 
it in practice ; and he had nothing to do but to tell what they had done, and 
to reduce their examples to precept. Aristides had been just, before Socra- 
tes defined what justice was ; Leonidas had died for his country, before So- 
crates made it a duty to love one's country. Sparta had been temperate 
before Socrates eulogised sobriety ; and before he celebi-atcd the praises of 
virtue, Greece had abounded in virtuous men. But from whom of all his 
countrymen, could Jesus have derived that sublime and pure morality, of 
which he only has given us both the precepts and example ? In the midst of 
the most licentious fanaticism, the voice of the sublimest wisdom was heard ; 
and the simplicity of the most heroic virtue crowned one of the humblest of 
all the multitude. 

The death of Socrates, peaceably philosophising -with his friends, is the 
most pleasant that could be desired ! That of Jesus, expiring in torments, 
outraged, reviled, and execrated by the whole nation, is the most horrible that 
could be feared. Socrates, receiving the cup of poison, blessed the weeping 
executioner, who presented it ; but Jesus in the midst of excruciating torture, 
prayed for his merciless tormentors. Yes ! if the life and death of Socrates 
were those of a sage, the life and death of Jesus were those of a God. Shall 
we say thpit the evangelical history is a mere fiction — it does not bear the 
stamp of fiction, but the contrary. The History of Socrates, Avhich no body 
doubts, is not as well attested as that of Jesus Christ. Such an assertion iu 
fact only shifts the difficulty, without removing it. It is more inconceivable 
that a number of persons should have agreed to fabricate this book, than that 
one only should have furnished the subject of it. 

The Jewish authors were incapable of the diction, and strangers to the mo- 
rality, contained in the gospel, the marks of whose truth are so striking, so 
perfectly inimitable, that the inventor would be a more astonishing man than 
the hero." 



146 

Extract from speech of 3Ir. Savage in the Legislature of 'New 
YorJc, April 1th, 1854 : 

"But it is said it interferes with the consciences of parents or of 
scholars to have it read in the schools. Sir, this is a Christian coun- 
try. The great mass of the people recognize it as the foundation of 
their faith, and square the laws of the country to accord with its pre- 
cepts. Shall one infidel man, who stands up in his infidelity against 
the popular sentiments of a district, exclude the Bible from the 
schools, in violation of the conscience of all the rest, because of the 
tenderness of his own ? 

It is said that there is a Christian sect in this state, large in num- 
bers, whose conscience will not consent to the Bible being read in 
the schools. I am fully aware of this, and it is from this sect that the 
commotion which ended in the exclusion of the Bible from our com- 
mon schools originated. Sir, I claim that I am not a bigot. That I 
am not intolerant. That I would render equal and exact justice to 
all sects and all creeds. But when the Roman Church, in its pride 
and exclusiveness, claims that its conscience alone shall be respected, 
and that its prejudices and tastes shall alone be consulted, I answer 
that this is a Protestant country. That there are in this Union over 
twenty millions of Protestants to two millions of Catholics. That 
there are ten Protestant parents in this State to one Catholic parent. 
These ten parents desire the Bible should be read in the schools. — 
Their consciences are offended because of its exclusion. Whose 
consciences shall be consulted? 

Shall these ten Protestant parents, men to the manor born, be 
overruled to satisfy the one whose conscience, framed upon the plat- 
form of a sect, is two tender to permit the simple word of God to be 
read in the hearing of His children? Is there equality or justice in 
this? Sir, in a republican government majorities must rule. They 
must rule in the school-house as v/ell as at the polls and in these halls. 
If there be those whose wisdom is superior to the wisdom of eternal 
truth, if their consciences are so sensitive that they shrink from the 
reading of the Bible in the schools, they are comparatively few in 
number, and should not be permitted to dictate to all the rest. Sir, 
I repeat, we are a Protestant people. We have yielded much to this 
sect for the sake of peace. Politicians have yielded much for the 
sake of votes, but we cannot and ought not to yield to it the Bible, 
we cannot and ought not to surrender the truths of its history, to 
be found in no other book in the world. We should not surrender 
its sublime literature, its pure poetry. We should never surrender 
its pure moral teachings." 



U7 

Extracts from a Lecture delivered hy Rev. John M'Cnjfrey, D. D., 
President of 3Iount St. 3Iary's Colkgc, in St. Patrick's Ha//, 
Philadc/phia, Dec. 8th, 1852, being the first of a course of Lec' 
tures on Education : 

" If, at the present day, there be universal consent among men up- 
on any point, it is in admitting the vast importance of education. — 
All seem to agree that it is a question of deep concern to govern- 
ments as well as individuals, and to men of all classes and in all the 
relations of life — to the farmer, mechanic, and merchant, no less 
than the philosopher or statesman. But this wonderful harmony of 
minds may, in part, be accounted for by the vagueness of the term 
designating the thing about which all seem to be agreed. For educa- 
tion has no fixed meaning ; it may signify, for example, either the pro- 
cess of imparting knowledge and culture, or the knowledge and cul- 
ture thus imparted : and, restricted to the latter sense, it may mean 
any amount of knowledge and culture, from the mere rudiments, 
reading, writing, and cyphering, up to the diversified and compre- 
hensive attainments of thorough scholarship ; or, reaching beyond 
this to something infinitely|higher and more important, it may include 
the formation of the moral and religious character, the training of 
the soul for everlasting happiness or misery." 

" Is it right then or is it wrong for the State to take out of your 
hands the business of education and attempt to manage it for the 
people though always at the people's expense ? 

It is not to be denied, that the State, or the whole community or- 
ganized and acting through its constituted authorities, has a deep in- 
terest in the matter of education. True knowledge is favorable to 
virtue ; ignorance leaves a man more liable to error and to vice. — 
But there can be no greater fallacy than to argue, that because it con- 
cerns the state to have virtuous and enlightened citizens, therefore it 
is the duty of the public authorities to take upon themselves the task 
of making men enlightened and virtuous. Agriculture, Manufac- 
tures, Commerce, are all great public interests : must the govern- 
ment therefore instruct and form the farmer, the mechanic and the 
merchant ? The press and the pulpit are both means of diffusing 
knowledge ; both may be employed with powerful effect in the cause 
of truth and morality. Are we then to stamp on our governments 
the features most repulsive to us in the monarchies of the old world ? 

I am not denying, that the State may encourage education and by 
various indirect means promote the diffusion of knowledge and 
growth of virtue. I am only showing, that these are not the imme- 
diate ends of civil government and are not to be attained by legisla- 
tive enactments, and expensive public institutions. The object of 
civil government is the protection of life, liberty and property. The 
constituted authorities, however appointed and by whatever name 
they are called, must have power enough to render these secure, and 
not only may, but must do what is necessary for their security. The 
problem under all governments that pretend to be free, is this : how 



148 

faf must individual liberty be restricted for the public jrood — how 
much power uiust be vested in our rulers, that they may fulfil the pur- 
poses of their creation ? A nice and difficult problem and not so 
easily solved as our stump-orators and newspaper editors would have 
us believe, nor to be decided every where alike. But who will ven- 
ture to assert that the ends of government demand, that the parent be 
restricted in the exercise of his right and duty in respect to the edu- 
cation of his children ? Or who will seriously affirm, that the ap- 
pointing of schoolmasters, the regulation of school discipline, the 
choice of books and determining the system of instruction, are among 
the powers necessarily entrusted to our political rulers ? And 
if not necessary to the ends of government, then the assumption 
of a power, which rudely touches tlie most sacred relation and vio- 
lates the holy rights of a parent, is manifestly a wicked and odious 
tyranny. It is no extenuation of its guilt to say, that it is assumed 
and exercised only for the good of both parent and child. That, as 
we shall see, is at least a question." 

" Compulsory attendance on the established course of instruction 
is the inevitable logical conclusion from the premises assumed in the 
theory of education by the State. And will not consistency require 
this stern logic to be carried out here as elsewhere 1 It has been 
proposed in various parts of the country, and practically tried at least 
in one, to send the constable on the singular errand of catching chil- 
dren and dragging them to school," 

" But compulsory education is a tyranny too gross and flagrant to 
excite any serious alarm. It will not be introduced ; it would not be 
submitted to. It is impracticable while the great principles of com- 
mon law are retained, while civil rights are recognized and govern- 
ment is not an absolute despotism. I can understand a House of Ref- 
uge, or Correction, to which juvenile delinquents are sent for punish- 
ment, or reform, after conviction ; but what are we to think of a Free 
School, which is at the same time, a prison — its pupils picked up by 
the police — the blessings of education forced on the unwilling urchins, 
their parents equally unwilling, by the tender mercies of the constab- 
ulary and other city authorities or dignitaries of the State ! ! ! 

There is another logical conclusion implied in the theory of State 
education, to which men shut their eyes because it is either unpalat- 
able or unpopular. Still it is there, and you must either give up your 
own conclusion by denying those premises, or take this too along 
with them. For if it is the office of the state to educate, because it is 
her highest interest to have enlightened and virtuous citizens, then re- 
ligion which undertakes directly to enlighten and guide the conscien- 
ces of men, and, when necessary, to reform their morals, is a still 
more important, concern to her and better entitled to her patronage 
than any school system : and the Church is the proper dispenser of 
her bounties and minister of her benevolent wishes. Do you main- 
tain that the school-house is a better instructor and a truer friend to 
morals, than the sanctuary and the pulpit ; then you stand an avow- 
ed infidel. If you do not, be consistent and call for an established 



149 

Church with its regular endowments, glebes, tithes, advowsons, liv- 
ings, parsonages — all !" 

"When education was their own concern, they kept the school- 
house open from six to twelve months : the State salaries the teach- 
er two, three or five months only in the year. His competency, mor- 
al fitness and fidelity were then a question for themselves : they are 
now relieved from all consideration on the subject. Then the field 
was fiiirly open to competition, and superior merit in the teacher was 
rewarded with more extensive patronage : his remuneration in fact 
depended on his ability and success. These were elements of freedom 
in harmony with all our other institutions ; and while the old system 
was, like every thing else, liable to objections and abuses, it was also 
susceptible of improvement : it was in fact continually improving; 
and the responsibility and the remedy were always in the right hands, 
— in the sense of duty; the enlightened self-interests and afijjctions of 
the parent. But all this is regulated by authority now, and the pa- 
rent has no influence, no responsibility and no choice : he must eith- 
er send his children to the duly commissioned teacher, whatever his 
demerits or offences, or keep them at home and feel, that he is de- 
frauded and they are wronged by the misguided policy of the State. 
More individuals may learn to read and write : but in rural districts 
generally there is less interest, less care and solicitude about a. proper 
education and i\\e proper means of securing it, because it is no longer 
the business of the parent, but of the State, or those whom it appoints." 

" I return to the great question, whether the State has the right to 
take upon itself the ofliice of instruction. If it does assume that office, 
what, I ask, is to be its course in relation to the great concern of re- 
ligion? Shall it introduce it into the Academy and School-room or 
shut it out altogether? If it take the former alternative, we have so 
far a State religion ; if the latter, the education wants what we and 
the great majority of our fellow-citizens hold to be an essential ele- 
ment : it is unchristian, Godless ! In a community made up of men 
professing every variety of creed, from the lowest Deism, Pantheism, 
and Atheism, up to the fullest Christian orthodoxy, what religion 
shall the government select as the subject of its teaching? Shall it 
be the doctrines held by any one denomination of Christians? By 
what right is the Jew or infidel excluded from the benefit of the com- 
mon schools? He too is a citizen ; his property is taxed and his re- 
ligious liberty is guaranteed by the fundamental law." 

" To repel the charge of sectarianism, the directors and advocates 
of the common school system may repeat what has often been alleged, 
that the points of doctrinal agreement among Christians shall be the 
only articles inculcated in the public schools. Points of agreement 
among Christians ! Jews and infidels are then disfranchised; they 
are at least ignored in practice, though the system in theory is made 
for all." 

" A government, which professes to protect all men alike in the 
full enjoyment of the most perfect liberty of conscience, and which is 
20 



150 

forbidden by the fundamental law either to establish or favor any one 
form of belief and worship more than any other, cannot exercise the 
office of teaching religion. To require even the reading of the Bi- 
ble is so far to patronize one system of religious notions in opposition 
to another. It is sectarianism of the meanest and most odious kind ; 
because it is practically a combination of all the sects, who agree in 
nothing else, to drive us Catholics from the public schools or force us 
to violate our conciences." 

" It is an important question, as I have endeavored to show you 
even in its purely political aspect. The wisest men and farthest-seeing 
patriots will in this matter incline to limit rather than enlarge the au- 
thority of the State. A tendency towards centralization, a disposi- 
tion to remit the burdens and duties of life to the paternal care of 
government, is not a symptom of liberty, but of despotism. As pop- 
ulation becomes more crowded and society more corrupt, (and no 
man can deny that corruption and crime are in this country advanc- 
ing faster even than population,) as the disorders of the body politic 
become more alarming, the public authorities must necessarily be 
armed with greater power or exercise more freely the powers they 
have already. The rights and immunities of the citizens will grow 
less as the government grows stronger. Is it prudent then for a friend 
of freedom to put in the hands of the civil authority so potent an in- 
strument as the absolute control of education? Should parents abdi- 
cate their rights and citizens their liberty for such a purpose? It 
may be very well for a monarchy relying on a standing army for secu- 
rity and stability, to take under its paternal charge the Church, the 
press, the university and the school-house. But is it not a strange 
spectacle under the sun, when a free people, not of necessity, but of 
choice, devolve a most sacred private duty upon public authority, and 
voluntarily divest themselves of a right so dear, — an interest so im- 
portant as that of freely educating their own children ?" 

" It was one of Louis Philipe's deadliest sins against social order 
and the rights of conscience, one of the crimes, by which he merited 
his dethronement and exile, that he upheld an atheistical university 
in its monopoly of education and in its unwearied labors to diffuse, by 
its false teachings, the poison of infidelity through all the veins and 
arteries of youthful France." 



Extract from a Lecture upon the use of the Bible in common schools, by Rev. 
Hemax Humphrey, D. D., President of Amherst College, dehvered 
before the American Institute of Instruction, August, 1843. 

" There is, I am'aware, in the minds of some warm and respectable friends 
of popular education, an objection against incorporating religious instruction 
into the system, as one of its essential elements. It cannot, they think, be 
done without bringing in along with it the evils of sectarianism. If this objec- 
tion could not be obviated, it would, I confess, have great weight in my own 
mind. It supposes that if any religious instruction is given, the distinctive 
teuets of some particular denomination must be inculcated. But is this at all 



151 

necessary ? Must we eittev exclude religion altogether from our Common 
Schools, or teach some one of the various creeds which are embraced by as 
many different sects in the ecclesiastical calendar ? Surely not. There are 
certain great moral and religious principles, in which all denominations are 
agreed, such as the ten commandments, our Saviour's golden ruh-, every thing, 
in short, which lies within the whole range of duty to God and duty to our 
fellow-men. I should be glad to know what sectarianism there can be in a 
schoolmaster's teaching my children the first and second tables of the moral 
law — to " love the Lord their God with all their heart, and their neighbor as 
themselves" — in teaching them to keep the Sabbath holy, to honor their pa- 
rents, not to swear, nor drink, nor lie, nor cheat, nor steal, nor covet. Verily, 
if this is what any mean by sectarianism, then the more we have of it in our 
Common Schools the better. ' It is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamen- 
tation,' that there is so little of it. I have not the least hesitation in saying, 
that no instructor, whether male or female, ought ever to be employed, who 
is not both able and willing to teach morality and religion in the manner in 
which I have just alluded to. Were this faithfully done in all the primary 
schools of the nation, our civil and religious liberties, and all our blessed insti- 
tutions, would be incomparably safer than they are now. The parent who 
says, I do not send my child to school to learn religion, but to be taught read- 
ing, and writing, and grammar, knows not ' what manner of spirit he is of.* 
It is very certain that such a father will teach his children anything but religion 
at home ; and is it right that they should be leit to grow up as heathens in a 
Christian land ? If he says to the schoolmaster, I do not wish you to make my 
son an Episcopalian, a Baptist, a Presbyterian, or a Methodist, very well. This 
is not the schoolmaster's business. He was not hired to teach sectarianism. But 
if the parent means to say, I do not send my child to school to have you teach 
him to fear God, and keep his commandments, to be temperate, honest, and 
true, to be a good son and a good man, then the child is to be pitied for hav- 
ing such a father ; and with good reason might we tremble for all that we 
hold most dear, if such remonstrances were to be multiplied and to prevail." 



Importance of Moral Education in Schools and its ijifluence in pre- 
venting crime. From Report on Public Schools in Rhode Island^ 
January 1 852, by E. R. Potter, Commissioner of Public Schools. 

I will invite your attentiou for a short time to the subject of moral 
education. I do not propose to speak of its importance, but to sug- 
gest a few thoughts relating to the connection between education and 
the prevention of crime, and to consider what portions of morals may 
without objection be made subjects of instruction in schools. 

If all parents did their duty by their children, little would remain 
for the public teacher to perform in respect to moife-ls, and he might 
devote his almost undivided time to their intellectual advancement. 
A large portion of parents, however, are prevented by poverty or 
business from giving it their attention. 

A want of reverence for parental authority is supposed to be one 
of the characteristics of our country and of our times. In former 
times the parent had the power of life and death over his child. In 
some countries, as long as the parent lived, the child was not free 
from his control. With the progress of civilization, the laws in all 
countries have become milder. But in our country, partly probably 



152 

from carrying to excess our notions of liberty and freedom from re- 
straint, partly from the newness of the country and the unsettled 
shifting habits natural to a new country — and partly from the facility 
with which any person can support himself and thus become indepen- 
dent of others — we have gone to the other extreme. The child, at an 
early age, throws off all control ; fortunate, if he does not throw off" 
all respect for the parent. But although much of this may be due to 
outward circumstances, we must, however, acknowledge that a great 
deal of it is owing to the fault of the parents themselves. 

The consideration of the connection between education and the 
prevention of crime is most important, because the right to take the 
property of the people to educate the children of all, depends in a 
great measure upon our assuming that education tends to prevent 
crime and wretchedness, and therefore is justified and required not 
for the individual, so much as by the good of society. We tax the 
public to educate a person, not because it promotes his personal ad- 
vantage, but because we presume that we shall make a better citizen 
of him and so promote the good of the community. And the enquiry 
is interesting also, as shewing us what we may reasonably expect from 
a system of education in reforming the morals of a people. 

Some may perhaps express surprise that any one could imagine 
that education would not have a tendency to lessen the amount of 
crime — yet intelligent men have done so — and when we examine the 
subject we find that statistics afford us very little aid in arriving at 
any certain conclusion. 

For instance, to show the caution with which we should reason from 
ordinary statistics, able writers have drawn exactly contrary conclu- 
sions from the returns of crimes in France. An intelligent and able 
man, M. Guery, shows as he thinks satisfactorily, that the amount of 
crime is greater in the best educated that in the most ignorant por- 
tions of France. But his conclusions are drawn from the returns of 
a single year. 

In 1813, the number of persons charged witli offences against so- 
ciety in England and Wales, was 7,164. In 1S36, 20,984; nearly 
three times as many. And during this whole time, public and pri- 
vate benevolence had been actively engaged in schemes for educating 
and promoting the moral and intellectual improvement of their 
people. 

In 1849, 14,569 males— 2,557 females— Total, 17,126 under 17, 
were imprisoned for various periods for offences in England, and of 
these, 12.500 were convicted. The proportion of crime in the various 
districts pi'esent some curious facts — thus of the above, — (persons un- 
der 17) 

In the Metropolitan counties the proportion is 1 to 694 

" Manufacturing " " I to 1600 

" Maratime " " 1 to 1508 

" Agricultural " " I to 1947 

" Minins " " 1 to 2078 



153 

It appears from a comparison of the French and English returns, 
that the number of persons punished for crime under 17, or what 
may be called juvenile offenders, is nearly double in England what it 
is in France, in proportion to the population. And this has led to 
serious enquiry into the causes of it and presents some considerations 
which might be of practical use very near home, in our little State of 
Rhode Island. 

In England, the system of short imprisonment for small offences 
committed by boys, is adopted ; the same system we have followed 
here. In France, boys committing small crimes are considered as 
subjects of reformation, and are sentenced to be detained for various 
periods up to ten years, according to circumstances, and placed under 
proper discipline and instruction. In the English system and in ours, 
the young offender is sentenced for a short time, he is shut up with 
old offenders and he comes out a hardened criminal, and the probabil- 
ty is, that the government is at the expense during his life of con- 
victing and imprisoning him continually, unless he is led by passion 
to commit some great offence by which he forfeits his life or his liber- 
ty for life. 

The effect of the two systems upon the statistics is obvious. lu 
the English system and in ours, the same young man is continually 
committing offences which of course swell the whole number of crimes 
committed in the country and add to the expense of criminal justice. 
On the French system he offends but once. He is then detained un- 
der training for a time sufficient to give a chance of reformation. — 
The number oi first offenders might be the same xmder each system. 
The number of offences could not be. 

As I said before, these facts suggest considerations which may be 
applied at home. We have always followed the old English system 
of short imprisonment for small offences, and boys are treated as if 
they were as intelligent and as responsible as older persons and are 
shut up with them in the same jail. Then an appeal is made to the 
humanity of the Legislature and the boy is pardoned and the result 
generally is, that in about a year he is again before the Legislature 
for the same mercy. Any person familiar with our Legislative pro- 
ceedings for a series of years, will recognize the truth of this. And 
while we pursue the system of committing them to the ordinary pris- 
ons and shutting them up to be schooled by old hardened criminals, 
members of succeeding Legislatures will very naturally pursue the 
same system of pardons. 

But we may well be glad that a beginning has been made in the 
right direction. 

A few years since, the city of Providence took measures to estab- 
lish a Reform School, under the authority of an act of the Legisla- 
ture. Subsequently, by an agreement between the State and city, 
the State has been authorised to send its young criminals to it. By 
acts passed January and October, 1850, any Justice of the Peace in 
the State when sentencing juvenile offenders, may in his discretion, 
sentence them to the Reform School. 

I take every opportunity to call attention to this, because the in- 



154 

stitution is new and has as 5'et few friends, and many of those who 
are opposed to all change, look coldly on it. Yet it seems to me that 
it needs only to be known to enlist the sympathy of all philanthro- 
pists. Institutions of the kind have succeeded elsewhere. Why should 
they not here? 

The statistics of crime in relation to education are generally de- 
fective, because they do not show the amount or degree of education. 
It is obvious, that in taking an account of crimes committed by edu- 
cated persons, we should make a distinction between those who have 
learned only to read and write without going any farther, which is the 
case with a large number of those who attend school, and those who 
have received any education worthy of the name. Yet in the greater 
part of statistical accounts, crimes committed by those who can mere- 
ly read and write, and that perhaps very imperfectly, are charged to 
the account of education. Since 1828 the French, and since 1836 
the English tables, have classed the criminals as follows : 

1. Those who can neither read nor write. 

2. Those who can read only, or who can read and write imper- 

fectly. 

3. Those who can read and write well. 

4. Those who have received instruction beyond that of a merely 

elementary school. 

The results of returns under these classes have been thus far high- 
ly satisfactory and encouraging. For seven years ending with ] 834, 
the convictions in France averaged 4,238, of whom only 65, or one in 
65 belonged to the educated — being one in about 500,000 of the pop- 
ulation. In England, for 1536, number of persons accused of crime 
was 20,984; out of these, 191 were of the class who had received 
superior education. In Scotland, out of 2.922, 55 belonged to this class. 

But these statements arc almost too favorable to be relied on. — 
Perhaps we can account for it by supposing that many crimes com- 
mitted by the educated, the intelligent and the shrewd, remain unde- 
tected ; and if detected, that their ingenuity sometimes enables them 
to escape conviction. Besides the crimes pnnished by the courts, are 
crimes against property or person, generally accompanied with some 
degree of violence — crimes which educated persons would be less 
likely to commit — while there are many violations of right by edu- 
cated men, which a rigid morality would denounce as criminal, but 
which the law cannot punish because it cannot define them. 

So far as the statistics go to show there is less crime in the agri- 
cultural than there is in the manufacturing, seaport and city districts, 
they agree with what we should a priori expect the result to be. In 
the country generally, there is a greater equality of condition ; less of 
that extreme distress which results from crowding together in cities ; 
more kindness and fellow feeling ; and many slight offences, especially 
if they are first off"ences, are passed over from charity or a hope of 
reformation. The man of bad character is known, marked and watch- 
ed, — and there are not enough of them to herd together and form a 
class and keep each other in countenance. 



155 

On the other hand, the great cities (which Jefferson said were great sores 
upon the body politic) draw together the dissolute and idle from all 
quarters. It is there, too, that the wealth and enterprise of a coun- 
try is concentrated, and where there is most wealth, of course will be 
the greatest number of crimes against property. And in a city there 
can be none of that compassion for a neighbor which in the country 
would lead to overlooking a fault. The smallest offence must be 
punished, without inquiring into the motives which led, or perhaps 
drove, the offender to commit it. 

There is one circumstance connected with the abundance of crime 
which commends itself to the attention of all friends of education — 
to all philanthropists. It is this : that in the large cities, the crimes 
are committed by a separate class. The low and degraded form a 
separate class, and almost a separate caste by themselves. Accessions 
are constantly making to their number, but the greater part of them 
are born and educated to crime — they are hereditary criminals. Shut 
out of churches and schools, they live by preying upon society. Of 
Grod they know but the name. Society they consider their enemy and 
lawful plunder. The accounts of the ignorance, practical atheism 
and debasement of this class in some cities, are hard to be believed 
by those who are used only to the peaceful and orderly communities, 
of New England. 

Although the most dreadful cases are probably in the large cities of 
the old world, yet our own cities present instances of the same sort, 
although here, from our youth as a nation, the evil may not be so con- 
firmed and hard to combat. There seems to be an almost complete 
wall of separation between this class and what I may call the comfort- 
able classes of society — the people of education, of middling property, 
and the wealthy. To associate with ignorance and vice is no pleasure 
to the educated and refined ; and then, again, the very greatness of 
the evil and the fact of its long existence, are calculated to deter the 
timid from undertaking its removal. 

We may say that we are not responsible for the existence of these evils. 
True we may not be directly. But if governments and the comfort- 
able classes had done their duty in years past, the evil could not have 
reached its present magnitude. If the evil is to be reformed, it must 
be through the iuflueuces of religion and of education. But how is 
religion to be brought home to them ? They are practically shut out 
of our churches, because they cannot come in upon an equality with 
others ; and no man, with any just pride or feeling of independence, 
will come in on any other terms. If church-going be an essential part 
of Christianity, then, in some large cities, a man with a family cannot 
afford to be a Christian unless he is worth his tens of thousands of 
dollars, and in the same proportion in smaller places. The attention 
of our churches is already awakened to the necessity of a change of 
their system. This is shown by the erection of many free churches 
in our cities within a few years. And in what mode can wealth be 
more nobly employed than by devoting it to the religious instruction 
of the poor. 

We cannot doubt however, notwithstanding the gloomy details of 



156 

the criminal calendar, that there has been a gradual and marked 
change effected in modern civilized society in relation to crime — and 
a change for the better. The character of the crimes committed has 
changed. Formerly — in generations past there was comparatively 
little security for person or property, except in the strong arm of the 
possessor. The offences were of the more violent kind. Murders, 
robberies and duels, &c., were more frequent. Now, whatever may 
be true as to the total number of crimes, those of this violent sort 
have diminished. Even if it is only a substitution of fraud and craft 
for violence, it isjcertainly a change for the better and for the peace 
of society. 

The total number of crimes committed may not have diminished, 
or may even have increased. If statistics should prove this, there are 
many reasons why the friends of humanity should not be discouraged. 
The population of all the civilized nations is fast increasing. Their 
wealth has increased wonderfully. To promote the acquisition of 
wealth, property must be secured by the most stringent enactments, 
and a large class of offences which makes such a S2;ure in our criminal 
statistics, are of these modern offences against property. Legislatures 
in England and in this country almost every year make something a 
penal offence which was not so before. This probably is the necessary 
result of the increase of wealth and civilization. Again, our credit 
system, while it has nearly superseded the old fashioned mode of rob- 
bery, yet presents innumerable temptations to other sorts of crime, 
temptations which we should rather rejoice that so many withstand, 
than grieve that a few fall. 

Our modern police systems, too, are more perfect than those of for- 
mer times. Fewer crimes escape detection in our large cities. All 
these combine to make the amount of crime appear to have increased 
of late years, while the fact may be very different, if we take into ac- 
count the increase of population, and consider also, that a great num- 
ber of the statute offences enumerated as crimes are not such as nec- 
essarily involve any great degree of moral turpitude. 

Without any reference, however, to statistics, it would seem as if we 
ought not to doubt as to the good effects of education in preventing 
misery and crime. 

Even supposing that no direct moral instruction whatever is con- 
veyed, can there be any doubt but that a good training of the intellect 
alone is favorable to morals? By pursuing a course of mere intel- 
lectual study by system, especially if it be pursued under the restraints 
of a public school or college, the student acquires habits of self-denial, 
obedience to rule, regularity and order, which are invaluable. And a 
well disciplined and well stored intellect is a great security against 
crime in another view. The man of education has pleasures and oc- 
cupations for his leisure which ignorance knows not of He is thus 
protected from many of those vices into which the ignorant and idle 
fall from the mere love of excitement. We are so constituted as to 
need excitement of some sort. He vi'ho knows the value of intellect- 
ual pleasures, will not be so apt to resort to low company or intoxi- 
cating drink for his amusements. And it is probably to the diffusion 



157 

of education, and to a thorough education that we must look for the 
delivery of our community from the scourge of intemperance. 

Again, mere intellectual education doubtless promotes good morals 
at least negatively, by preventing poverty, the extreme of which is a 
fruitful source of crime. How many crimes are traceable to the 
temptations arising from poverty. The tendency of education is to 
raise the man in the scale of being, to produce an ambition and teach 
him ways of bettering his condition, to restrain improvidence and 
waste, to eucourage forethought and prudence. So education improves 
the condition of the poor and removes temptation. 

And although the present enormous accumulation of the wealth of 
civilized society, resulting from their superiority in knowledge, may in 
its first eflect in the hands of the few, produce an increase of crimes 
against property, yet we should consider that the benefits of this wealth 
are constantly diffusing, by furnishing cheap necessarie? and comforts 
to the poor. The industrious laboring man of the present day, en- 
joys comforts which were luxuries even to the rich men of former 
ages. Thus wealth is slowly diffused and the situation of the poorer 
class improved. 

The importance of providing recreation for the mind, of an intel- 
lectual character is not sufficiently considered by us. As I said just 
now, we are so constituted that we need excitement, we need recrea- 
tion. And if recreation of an innocent and intellectual kind is not 
furnished, the people will resort to mere animal and baser gratifica- 
tions. This is the law of nature which laws made by man will in vain 
attempt to change or counteract. 

Hence the importance of cultivating a habit of reading and supply- 
ing the means of gratifying a taste for reading. It was remarked by 
a foreigner that very few of our large libraries are open to the public. 
In Europe the reverse is the practice. Hence too the importance of 
cultivating the practice of vocal and instrumental music, not merely 
for religious purposes, but for social improvement. 

The only danger to be apprehended from moral instruction in our 
schools, arises from the spirit of sectarianism. That it may be per- 
verted to sectarianism is true. But as all sects agree in the necessity 
of moral instruction, — and as the attempt of any sect to teach its own 
creed, would inevitably tend to break up any system of public edu- 
cation, and to substitute in their stead sectarian or denominational 
schools which would leave a large portion of our country without any 
education at all, it is to be hoped that enough charity and forbearance 
will be found among the different churches to avoid this evil. We 
should endeavor to give the youth a sound intellectual and moral 
training, to teach them how to think, not what to think. Wo should 
not suffer ourselves to be haunted with the fear that they will think 
differently from ourselves on some subject of religion or politics. — 
Parental influence will always incline the child to the opinious of the 
parent without much direct teaching. If we are well grounded in our 
opinions and believe them well founded in argument, we should not be 
afraid of our success. It is generally in proportion to our distrust of 
21 



158 

our opinions and the weakness of the arguments on which we have 
adopted them that we are inclined to quarrel with tliose who doubt or 
deny them. And it is only by a full aclinowledgement of the right of 
private judgment in others, and cultivating in our own hearts a spirit 
of charity towards them, that we can avoid the dangers which sur- 
round this question. 

If moral instruction cannot be given without being made a means 
of proselytism on sectarian or political questions, I would say at once 
that it should be excluded. 

Let us then consider for a few moments what portions of morals 
may with propriety be taught, and the best manner of teaching them; 
what should be taught, and how. 

A full classification of the subject would of course include many 
things which could not well be taught to the classes of smaller chil- 
dren, such as compose the great majority in our schools. They could 
not appreciate, and would not profit by systematic instruction. There 
are certain classes of duties, too, in which in orderly old settled com- 
munities — children gain instruction at church and at home ; their 
duties to God, their parents, and the family relations, the duty of jus- 
tice to others, of honesty as to property, and of veracity. In orderly 
society there is a feeling of honor attached to the performance of some 
of these duties, and of meanness to their violation which is a great 
additional motive to doing right. 

But, without much system, important instruction may be given in 
regard to the nature of conscience, and its development aided. They 
may be warned against the various modes by which conscience may be 
blinded or misled. The illusions produced by passion, interest, by 
looking to the end as justifying the means, may be rendered intelli- 
gible to all. But it may be more difficult and require more maturitj'' 
in the scholar to understand and properly to judge of the variety of 
opinions respecting the moral nature of particular acts, produced by 
association and the complesity of actions. These can only be under- 
stood after considerable acquaintance with the operations and laws of 
the human mind. 

There are some classes of duties which it is very difficult to define, 
and which law therefore can very seldom punish, but which are most 
essential to the happiness of society, and should receive our constant 
attention both in the school and out of it — I mean, our duties to 
others in regard to their feelings, if I may so express it. And it is in 
regard to this very class of duties, that the moral instruction of both 
young and old, in schools, colleges and at home, is probably most defi- 
cient. How many men who would scorn to injure their neighbors 
property, will yet make sport of injuring their feelings. If they can 
excite a quarrel, prejudice one person against another ; if there are 
any subjects which they know to be peculiarly unpleasant, which the 
person addressed would like to have forgotten, anything calculated to 
produce a feeling of disgrace, or of physical or intellectual inferiority, 
or in any way to disturb his peace of mind, they perhaps take delight 
in suggesting it, in bringing it forward to public gaze, or if they do 
not absolutely take delight in it and do it purposely, they are not suf- 



159 

ficiently cautious in guarding against it. '' A blow with a word strikes 
deeper tlian a blow with a sword." And when we reflect how much 
of the happiness of life is made up of little things, how much it de- 
pends upon attention to the feelings of others, we see the importance 
of attending to it in early education. 

A disposition to attend to the wants and feelings of others, and 
promote their happiness, united to a certain degree of kuowledge of 
the conventional usages of society, constitutes what we call manners or 
politeness. Considered merely as regards the child's chances of suc- 
cess in life, it would be worthy of attention. But my object is to 
speak of it as a duty. Even in the gravest concerns in life, the man- 
ner is frequently as important as the matter of the deed. 

This same regard to the feelings of others of which I have been 
speaking, will also lead us to be cautious how we do or say anything 
to affect their reputation. Of all the tittle-tattle and slander that is 
circulating in the world, the probability is, that a very small por- 
tion originates from malice or a direct design to injure. A great 
deal of it originates from carelessness, from a desire to fall in with 
what we suppose to be the prevailing humor of the company present ; 
but probably by far the greater part, from vacancy of mind — from 
want of acquaintance with other and more proper subjects of conver- 
sation. Education and extension of information will supply us with 
other means of occupying our minds and maintaining conversation, 
but it is only a regard for the feelings of others which can entirely 
restrain this mischievous propensity. 

In regard to the manner of teaching morals to the very young, 
there can be but very little difference of opinion. Before they can 
understand a system, they must have the elementary notions upon 
which a system is founded. The moral sentiment is first to be called 
out, trained, and developed. And in doing this we should follow the 
course of nature. A moral lesson suggested by some occasion in 
school life, will make a permanent impression upon a child and be re- 
membered and recalled v/henevcr a similar occasion presents itself: 
while a moral lesson upon the same subject, but unconnected with any 
present application, would be soon forgotten and would not be so like- 
ly to be recalled or suggest itself to the mind in case of need. Al- 
cott's Record of a school and his Conversations on the Gospels, may 
suggest to a teacher many good ideas as to the best method of con- 
ductii^g conversations or remarks on this subject; and they have the 
advantage of being not imaginary but the record of real conversations 
which actually took place in his school. 

" Moral instruction (says Wilm) ought to be less teaching than de- 
velopment : and it ought to aim less at conveying to the pupils some 
propositions as coming from the master and as forming a science in- 
vented by the genius of man, than at making them spring from the 
depths of his own consciousness." 

"If (says Sir James Macintosh) we were to devise a method for 
infusing morality into the tender minds of youth, we should certainly 
not attempt it by arguments and rules, by definition and demonstra- 
tion. We should certainly endeavor to attain our object by insmua- 



160 

ting morals in the disguise of history, poetry and eloquence ; by 
heroic examples, by pathetic incidents, by sentiments that either exalt 
and fortify or soften and melt the human heart. If philosophical in- 
genuity were to devise a plan of moral instruction, these I think would 
be its outlines." 

" As hieroglyphics preceded letters, so parables are older than ar- 
guments. And even now, if any one wishes to pour new light into 
any human intellect, and to do so expediently and pleasantly, he must 
proceed in the same way and call in the assistance of parables." — 
Lord Bacon. 

That these are the correct principles on which morals should be 
taught to the young, I suppose there can be very little doubt. To 
older scholars and classes, scientific treatises may be of advantage, 
but to mere children they would be incomprehensible. The conscience 
must be cultivated as occasions arise and the moral feelings called out 
and exercised upon the various events in school and home life before 
they can make themselves or can understand from others, the gener- 
alizations which make the moral code. Not that the teacher should 
wait for great occasions or displays of unusual passion or violence. — 
The occasions will be constantly occurring. Lessons upon characters 
and events in history are highly recommended by Kant and Wilm ; and 
the influence of the selections in the reading books which are used in 
our schools, in forming the moral character of the pupils, can hardly 
be overrated. But above all, let not the teacher forget the influence 
of his own example. 

With regard to the greater part of children, at least of those who 
do not see very bad examples at home, the teacher's greatest difficulty 
will probably be, not in teaching them what is right and what is wrong, 
but in persuading them to do right. And the difficulty is the same 
with older people. JMost of the duties of ordinary life are plain. We 
all know tolerably well what is right in any given case. In pronounc- 
ing an opinion on the conduct of others we seldom disagree. But 
how seldom do we ourselves do what we know to be right. We need 
motives to do right, we need to have our disposition to do right 
strengthened and confirmed. We need to enlighten conscience and 
give force to its decisions ; and sometimes perhaps must call in the 
aid of the sanctions of religion. 

We are too apt to appeal both with the old and young to motives of 
interest to induce them to do right. Honesty may be and no doubt is 
the best policy, and yet, that may be a very mean motive for a man's 
being honest. There is a strong temptation to use this motive with 
children because they can easily be made to understand it. But is there 
no fear that we may make too much of this and lead them to under- 
value other motives, so that other motives will have little influence 
over them. And will not the consequence be, that when they come to 
grow up and find, as they often will, that they cannot succeed in some 
favorite project honestly. — that honesty does not always secure wealth, 
but is very often an obstacle to it. — the foundation of their morality 
gives way, and they have not been accu.stomed to the control of better 
motives. 



161 

It may be questionable whether it would not be better to do nothing 
at all, than to appeal as often as we do to improper motives to encour- 
age the young to what we deem a right course of action. It is a com- 
mon practice to pay children for being good. x\nd when they get to 
be children of a larger growth, we still appeal to the same motive. — 
We tell them that doing good or a correct course will insure success 
in life. We make too much of prosperity, success and wealth. Econ- 
omy and correct conduct will, it is true, secure the means of living, 
but those generally succeed best in obtaining wealth who make the 
most sacrifices of time and of personal comfort for it, and too often of 
honesty too. We should try to impress on them that true succes, con- 
sidered in relation to tl:e great end of life, does not consist in making 
a show or in making a noise in the world ; but that the approbation 
of conscience is better than all else. 

One of the ancient moralists has represented human life as a sort 
of a market in which various commodities, health, wealth, literary dis- 
tinction, military glory, are exposed for sale and we can have whatever 
we choose if we pay the price for it. 

Mrs. Barbauld has taken up this idea and most eloquently expanded 
and illustrated it in a passage which I will quote. 

" We should consider this world as a great mart of commerce where 
fortune exposes to our view various commodities, riches, ease, tran- 
quility, fame, integrity, knowledge. Every thing is marked at a set- 
tled price Our time, our labor, our ingenuity, are so much money 
which we are to lay out to the best advantage. 

'•Examine, compare, choose, reject; but stand to your own judg- 
ment ; and do not, like children, when you have purchased one thing, 
repine that you do not possess another which you did not purchase. 

•• Such is the force of well-regulated industry, that a steady and 
vigorous exertion of our faculties, directed to one end, will generally 
insure success Would you for instance, be rich ? Do you think that 
single point worth the sacrificing every thing else to? 

" You may then be rich. Thousands have become so from the low- 
est beginnings, by toil and patience, diligence, and attention to the 
minutest articles of expense and profit. But you must give up the 
pleasures of leisure, of a vacant mind, of a free unsuspicious temper. 
If you preserve your integrity, it must be a coarse-spun and vulgar 
honesty. Those high and lofty notions of morals which you brought 
with you from the schools, must be considerably lowered, and mix with 
the baser alloy of a jealous and worldly-minded prudence. You must 
learn to do hard if not unjust things ; and for the nice embarrasments 
of a delicate and ingenuous spirit, it is necessary for you to set rid of 
them as fast as possible. You must shut your heart against the Muses 
and content to feed your understanding with plain household truths. 
In short, you must not attempt to enlarge your ideas, or polish your 
taste or refine your sentiments ; but must keep in one beaten track, 
without turning aside either to the right hand or left. ' But I cannot 
submit to drudgery like this I feel above it.' 'Tis well : be above it 
then ; only do not repine that you are not rich. 



162 

"Is knowledge the pearl of price'? That too may be purchased — ■ 
by steady application, and long solitary hours of study and reflection. 
Bestow these, and you shall be wise. But (says the man of letters) 
what a hardship it is that many an illiterate fellow, who cannot con- 
strue the motto of the arms on his coach, should raise a fortune and 
make a figure, while I have little more than the common conveniences 
of life. 

" Et tibi magna satis ! Was it in order to raise a fortune tha.t you 
consumed the sprightly hours of youth in study and retirement? Was 
it to be rich that you grew pale over the midnight lamp, and distilled 
the sweetness from the Grreek and lloman spring 1 

" You have then mistaken your path, and ill employed your indus- 
try. 'What reward have I then for all my labors?' What reward ! 
A large comprehensive soul, well purged from vulgar fears, and per- 
turbations, and prejudices ; able to comprehend and interpret the 
works of man — of God: A rich flourishing, cultivated mind, preg- 
nant with ineshaustable stores of entertainment and reflection. A 
perpetual spring of fresh ideas ; and the conscious dignity of superior 
intelligence. Good heaven ! and what reward can you ask besides ? 

'• But is it not some reproach upon the economy of Providence that 
such a one, who is a mean dirty fellow should have amassed wealth 
enough to buy half a nation ? Not in the least. He made himself a 
mean dirty fellow for that very end. He has paid his health, his con- 
science, his liberty for it ; and will you envy him for his bargain ? 
Will you hang your head and blush in his presence because he out- 
shines you in equipage and show ? Lift up your brow with a noble 
confidence and say to yourself. I have not these things, it is true ; but 
it is because I have not sought, because I have not desired them ; it is 
because I possess something better. I have chosen my lot, I am con- 
tent and satisfied. 

" You are a modest man — you love quiet and independence, and have 
a delicacy and reserve in your temper, which renders it impossible for 
you 10 elbow your way in the world, and be the herald of your own 
merits. Be content then with a modest retirement, with the esteem 
of your intimate friends, with the praises of a blameless heart, but 
resign the splendid distinctions of the world to those who can better 
scramble for them. 

" The man whose tender sensibility of conscience, and strict regard 
to the rules of morality make him scrupulous and fearful of ofi'ending, 
is often heard to complain of the disadvantage he lies under in every 
path of honor and profit. Could I but get over some nice points and 
conform to the practice and opinion of those about me, I might stand 
as fair a chance as others for dignities and preferment. And why can 
you not? What hinders you from discarding this troublesome scru- 
pulosity of 3"0urs, which stands so grievously in your way? If it be 
a small thing to enjoy a healthful mind, sound at the very core, that 
does not shrink from the keenest inspection ; inward freedon from 
remorse and purturbation ; unsullied whiteness and simplicity of man- 
ners ; a genuine integrity 

Pure in the last recesses of the mind ; 



163 

if you think tlieec advantages an inadequate recompense for v/liat you 
resign, dismiss your scruples this instant, and be a slave-merchant, a 
parasite, or — what you please." 

But while we make persevering efforts for the promotion of educa- 
tion, we ought not, on the other hand, to be discouraged if we do not 
see any sudden or immediate results from our labors. The leaven of 
Christianity has been working in the world for eighteen hundred 
years, and the world is not yet Christian. If we'^make'up our minds 
— as I think we must, without regard to statistics — that education 
does promote the welfare of a people as well as the good of the in- 
dividual, we shall be prepared not to be alarmed by any apparent f re- 
sults of statistics. Most of the communities of the civilized world 
may be said to be in a transition state from ignorance_to knowledge; 
and it is this fact, that their condition is a transition one which ena- 
bles us to account satisfactorily for many things which the tables of 
crime exhibit to us. They have lost that sort oficontentedness and 
negative happiness which results from brute ignorance in the mass and 
a strong government in the hands of the few, and they have not yet 
reached that state of intellectual and moral knowledge where^each man 
is a law unto himself. The elements of society are in conflict, and we 
cannot expect peace ; but better, far better, is any condition — conflicts, 
wars, and rumors of wars — than the apparent peace of quiet and 
submissive ignorance. Individuals may suffer, humanity mu>t gain. 

So in regard to the wonderful increase of wealth in the present 
age. The first eflfect of the increase of wealth, and while it is in 
tlie hands of the few, is to offer temptations to crime ; and we see, 
as a consequence, an increase of certain sorts of offences in wealthy 
communities. But may we not hope, that as wealth becomes diff"used, 
as its beneficial effects are felt through all classes of society, as the 
luxuries of one age become the necessaries of life to the next, as the 
poor obtain comforts in one age which before only wealth could pur- 
chase, the class of crimes arising from disparity of wealth will dimin- 
ish. Poverty and distress we know to be fruitful sources of those of- 
fences which our laws denounce as crimes. As these disappear be- 
fore the progress of education and wealth, we may hope for a better 
state of society. If the diffusion of wealth is a blessing, then we 
must bear with whatever is necessary to this diffusion. So the prin- 
ciple of competition appears to be a necessary concomitant of the 
increase of wealth — yet it leads to a great amount of misery and 
crime. In this light, we should look upon these evils as temporary 
ones — as the undeniable consequences of our being in what I have 
called a transition state. 

These considerations serve to show us that while we should not 
indulge unreasonable expectations from moral education, we need not 
be without hope. We cannot expect, and perhaps ought not to, to 
remove all temptations from the way of youth. That virtue is of but 
little worth which has been brought up as a tender plant in the shade, 
and which is only virtue because it has never been exposed. We 
should rather endeavor to cultivate a moral energy which may be ac- 
quainted with vice and misery, and yet not be contaminated by it. 



164 

Extract from an Address on the -use of the Bible i?i common scJtools^ 
by Thomas H. Burrowes^from the JPenn. School Journal: 

'' But there are those who say it is a vioUition of their rights of con- 
science to have any version of the scriptures read or used in the pres- 
ence of their children, except the one authorized by their own ecclesi- 
astical authority ; nay it is said there are those who deny their un- 
restricted use to the laity at all, and who therefore prefer the same 
objection. In this, however, they labor under no greater hardship 
than does the non-combatant citizen who pays or is compelled to pay 
his quota towards the support of the military expenses of the Com- 
monwealth, and to defray the cost of the nation's wars : nor of him 
who denies the propriety of capital punishment, yet pays his tax to 
sustain the administration of justice : nor of those who are debarred 
from holding public office, or of being witnesses in a court of justice, 
for the want of belief in the Being of a Grod and a future state of re- 
wards and punishments ; nor of those who may, by act of Assembly, 
be fined or imprisoned for profaning Almighty God, Christ Jesus, the 
Holy Spirit or the Scriptures of Truth, though they believe in none 
of them. All these are, also, cases of conscience quite as strong and 
a clear as those under consideration : yet the wheels of government 
are not to stand still, nor sectarian exemption to be made, to remove 
them. None of these classes of conscientious objectors suffer greater 
hardship than does the protestant citizen of the United States in 
Kome or the same citizen of any christian denomination in a Mahom- 
etan land, by being restricted in the worship of his God according to 
tbe dictates of his own reason and conscience. In either case he 
knows the restriction before he places himself, or while he continues 
in the position of restraint, and is bound to submit In the case of 
the American citizen abroad, the republican principle of self govern- 
ment teaches him to respect and submit to the laws and conform to 
the institutions of every foreign land he may visit. In that of the 
constrained citizen at home, submission to the law and the republican 
institutions of the land are no less obligatory. 

" But suppose the Bible to be expressly by law excluded from the 
common schools, or any tantamount legislation adopted, what would 
be the probable consequences? 

" In the first place the change would not — could not — stop there, 
even as regards conscience. 

"In the second place, the exclusion would lead to the expulsion of 
all moral training from the schools. 

" Granting for a moment that we might, a.s a people, with safety 
abandon the great distinctive principle of mental freedom, of which 
the free and unrestricted use of the scriptures is the very basis, let us 
see whether this would be the end of demanded concession to alleged 
rights of conscience. An instant's thought ahead will show that 
w^ould be but the beginning of the claim. 

" If the scriptures, as a whole, may not be used, then the same ob- 
jection would assuredly be urged against the almost innumerable 



165 

reading and other school books, now in use, which contain large ex- 
tracts from those scriptures. No objection is now made against this 
class of books on this account, for the reason, that, so long as they 
arc not so constructed as to promote any particular sectarian purpose, 
it were absurd to object to them as extracts, while you sanction the 
use of the book from which they are taken. But, exclude that Book 
— put its pages under a general ban — and the same decree must, by 
the rules of common fair play and consistency, condemn every book 
containing a chapter, or even a single verse, from the interdicted vol- 
ume, no matter how beautiful, eloquent or sublime the passage, or how 
innocent of sectarian tendency. 

" Again : The opening of the Bible to tlie world produced a marked 
era in History. Some call this a Heformation — some the reverse. — 
The purpo.«es of this address do not require an opinion here as to the 
pro^^riety or benefit of this change, or as to those of the events which 
followed. It is sufficient to assert that they are historic facts, to the 
knowledge of which, as such, our children have an undoubted right. 
But already, in several quarters, histories describing this event, and 
detailing in plain phr^ise the excesses of those called the early lleforra- 
ers and their opponents — for it cannot bo denied that both parties 
were guilty in this respect — have been objected to by the same sensi- 
tive feeling, which cannot listen to the reading of the Bible, and their 
exclusion demanded. Now, concede this first step, and it will be- 
come necessary to expurgate — nay to dismember and in effect to fal- 
sify history, and thus to dim, if not withdraw, the light of the past 
from the progress of the future. 

" But, in tlie second place, this will not be all, nor the worst, of the 
consequences of the exclusion. It will then be found impracticable 
at all to teacli morality in the common schools. 

'• Religion or piety would seem to be that spirit of action or system 
of principles which regulates human conduct with reference to the De- 
ity. Morality seems to be those principles of action which guide 
man's conduct towards his fellow-man. Both are undoubtedly eman- 
ations from the Deity: the principles and rules of religion being de- 
rived from the revealed will of God, and those of sound morality main- 
ly found in the same revelation. If this be so, then, as before re- 
marked, the disuse of the Bible, as a school book, deprives all the 
youth of the State of the opportunity of acquiring a full knowledge of 
that code of morality, in its pure source, while attending the common 
schools, and many of them of the opportunity of ever acquiring 
it at all ; for all the knowledge they will ever derive from books, 
on this or any other subject, must be obtained in these schools. 

" But further : we unfortunately differ not merely in religious creed, 
but also on some essential points of morality; and if you exclude the 
Bible, because it is objected to by particular sects, the same rule of 
liberty of conscience must cause you to abstain from teaching in mor- 
als, that which any deny or oppose. The Mormon preaches and prac- 
tices polygamy, the Jew denies the divine nature of the Savior, the 
Atheist says their is no Grod, and the habitual, but, it may be, moder- 
22 



166 

ate drinker insist^, by precept and practice in his family, upon the 
propriety and healthfulness of his stimulant. Now, by what right or 
authority shall the teacher denounce polygamy or punish profanation 
of the name of God, or of the Savior, or even inculcate the propriety 
and necessity of abstinence from intoxicating drink, if the Bible be ex- 
cluded ? There can then be no authority for it shown. The same 
mistaken regard for the rights of conscience which will take the one 
out of his hand, will take the other out of his mouth ; and he must 
confine his care to the postures and health of the body and the train- 
ing of the mere intellect, leaving the heart uncultured and the moral 
sentiments undeveloped — uneducated. Then, indeed would the com- 
mon schools be, not merely those '• Godless Schools" which they have 
been sneeringly termed, but nurseries of intellectual monsters and 
hot-beds of luxuriant vice, from a comparison with which the schools 
of mere heathen philosophy might well shrink with disgust." 



Extract from a very able report vpon Parochial' Schools^ by Rev. C. 
Van Rensselear.Jrom tlie annual report of the Board of Educa- 
tion of tlie Presbyterian church, for the year 1853. 
The next position in the line of argument, is that the required re- 
ligious training must be given in schools, as well as in families. 

In the progress of civilization, schools have been more and more 
relied upon for the purposes of instruction ; and their agency in pro- 
moting religious education is an important family auxiliary. Schools 
are necessary and useful. 

1st. Because the family is not.^ of itself . siifficient for religious, any 
more than for secular education. Education is a work by itself; it 
cannot be all done to advantage within the boundaries of home. A 
child may indeed obtain the rudiments of knowledge under parental 
instruction, and especially may acquire the moral habits and disci- 
pline which enter so thorouirhly into the composition of a virtuous and 
well-balanced character. But progress from attainment to attain- 
ment must be sought in connexion with higher opportunities. Schools 
are expedients to carry forward home nurture. As the ideas of secu- 
lar knowledge, derived merely from household intercourse and train- 
ing, are not^ enough for all the purposes of an active and useful life, 
so the religious instruction, inculcated under similar circumstances, is 
not so complete as to dispense with the necessity of confirming and 
increasing it by other arrangements. On the contrary, so great a 
work needs all the advantages of which it can possibly avail itself. — 
And the advantages of the schoolroom are neither few nor small, both 
for secular and religious instruction. The public prayer, the reading 
of Scripture, the songs of Zion, the verses in the Bible committed to 
memory, the chatechetical exercise, the oral exhortation, all assist in 
forming the religious character, just as reading, writing, and arithme- 
tic improve the mind. The family, of itself, cannot wholly conduct 
the course of education, at least, in ordinary circumstances. The 
very existence of schools expresses household insufficiency. Educa- 



167 

tion, above a certain point, must rely upon aid beyond that which pa- 
rents can supply. 

It is common to exalt the Sabbath-schooi as an important help to 
parents in religious education. In many respects it unquestionably is 
so. But, on the same principle, parochial schools, during the sis days 
of the week, are much more efficient allies, because more regular, steady. 
and thorough in their inculcation. The greatest aid which the family 
has ever received in forming the character of the young, is the Chrisi- 
ia?i day-school, includiug the acdidemy and the college. In the pro- 
gressive course of religious study, from the catechism, hymns, and Bi- 
ble history, to the evidences of Christianity, natural theology, and 
Butler's Analogy, the student derives the most important advanta- 
ges to mind, and heart, and conscience. The religious training of 
Christian institutions is among the choicest blessings of an advanced 
social state. Such institutions will always be invaluable auxiliaries to 
the domestic constitution, and will contribute to promote religious as 
well as secular knowledge. Education is so much a business by itself 
that it cannot wisely surrender the precious opportunities afforded by 
public schools 

2. The religious training of the young, enjoined by God, must be 
given in schools, because the great majority of comj^etent parents have 
not sufficient time to devote to the object. Toil and labor by " the 
sweat of the brow" are the doom of the race. Neither fathers nor 
mothers have much time at command during the day. The public du- 
ties of life, and the domestic duties of the household, occui^y a promi- 
nence which prevents the requisite attention to this important sub- 
ject. As a matter of fact, professional men, farmers, merchants, me- 
chanics, and others, are called away from their homes, from morning 
to evening ; and there are few mothers, whose domestic cares and en- 
gagements allow the necessary intervals to do according to their heart's 
desire. So that even competent parents instinctively look to the 
teachers in schools, as the persons whom Providence substitutes in 
their place, to take part in the education of their children. There is a 
necessity for religious schools, growing out of the principle of the di- 
vision of labor. 

" 3. Moreover, multitudes of parents are utterly incomjMent to 
tJie task of giving religious instruction. The majoritiy of families 
feel no personal responsibilities in regard to religious training. — 
Their hearts are under the influence of the god of this world. Uncon- 
cerned about the things of their peace, they suffer their children to 
grow up in like ignorance and delusion. The voice of private or of 
family prayer is never heard. The Scriptures are a sealed book. — 
The Sabbath is not sanctified. The general neglect of personal re- 
ligion throws its shade of gloom on the olive plants around the table, 
and the whole family influence is ' of the earth, earthy.' Whether 
the children of such households ought to be left to the awful disad- 
vantages entailed upon them, is a question which Christianity is 
prompt to answer. If there is any worth in the human soul ; any 
necessity of repentance to the ungodly : any love for our neighbor, 
' for whom Christ died ;' any responsibility to God, Christians can- 



168 

not remain unmoved in the midst of surrounding spiritual desolation. 
Every agency wliicli zeal in the cause of Christ can devise, should he 
put into requisition to supply wants so severe and wide-spread. The 
organization of religious day-schools is, of all others, the agency best 
suited to remedy the evil. Such schools would well supply the daily 
deficiency, and bring religion into contact with the youthful mind in 
a hopeful and effectual way. Many parents, who make no pretension 
to piety, prefer to have their cliildren taught religion in schools. — 
But however diverse might be the wishes of such parents, the fact of 
their acknowledged incompetency to teach their children the things 
pertaining to God, creates the obligation on the part of the Church to 
attempt to accomplish the object in some other way ; and no way is 
so effectual as schools, imbued with the spirit and principles of re- 
ligion. 

4. " This leads to the remark that all experience shows the insuffiency 
of other agencies, aiid the value of the one under consideration. All 
churches, even with all forms of error, have depended, in teaching re- 
ligion, on the school as an essential means of sustaining their influ- 
ence and life. 

"III. Adequate religious education can only be given in schools 
WHICH ARE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE Church. The State and oth- 
er schools sometimes inculcate religion ; but this occurs only under 
specially favorable circumstances, and even then not often to the de- 
sired extent. 

" 1. One reason why a thorough religious training can only be 
given to the schools under ecclesiastical care is, because in none other 
can Christians choose the teacher^ or determine tlie course of instruction. 
It is obvious that the character of schools depends altogether upon 

the matter taught, and the persons teaching. 

* * *' * * # * 

" 2. Even if religion were universally regarded as a proper sub- 
ject for the school, the prevalent diversity of opinion, and sectarian 
jealousy, must prevent the adoption of any efficient system of relig- 
ious instruction. These difficulties may be principally classed under 
two divisions ; those which arise from the doctrinal diversities of 
evangelical churches, and those occasioned by infidelity and Koman- 
ism. It would be no easy matter to reconcile evangelical Christians 
to the adoption of a common platform of scriptural teaching. And 
even if this could be done, what rational hope would there be of an 
acquiescence in evangelical doctrine by the infidels of all classes, and 
the unvarying class of Romanists ? Even the reading of the Bible in 
public schools is becoming more and more difficult, not only on ac- 
count of the Douay version but of the new Baptist version. 

" lY. The two systems of parochial and of State schools may, and 
ought to coexist. The one, under present circumstances, supplements 
the other. 

" The friends of parochial schools desire the utmost efficiency to be 
given to the State system. 



169 

" First, because there are thousands of children who cannot be other- 
wise reached. In many districts tlie sparseness of population will not 
admit of more than one school ; and in others, the question is, at least, 
a doubtful one. The State has advantages under such circumstances 
which should be fairly acknowledged. It is far better that the chil- 
dren should be educated on some plan which brings them all together, 
and which is practical in common advantages, however small, than that 
the neighborhood should be left in ignorance, or be agitated by hope- 
less contention. 

" Secondly^ because secular education, with the minimum of moral 
and religious instruction, and with other facilities for receiving the 
latter, is a blessing. Ignorance and debasement commonly go hand 
in hand. Mental darkness too often intercepts light to the moral fa- 
culties. The most hopeless of all communities are those where igno- 
rance abounds, with its attendant ills. The Gospel is hindered in its 
power by coming in contact with minds incapable of appreciating truth, 
and of attending to its just conclusions. A great deal has been said, 
and said truly, of the danger of educating a people intellectually, with- 
out regard to their morals and religion. All such statements are 
strong pleas for Christian schools. But it does not necessarily follow 
that, in the absence of religion in schools, it would be better, in the 
condition of our country, to leave the people uneducated. Much reli- 
gious instruction can be given to the people in other ways than in 
schools. 

******* 

" Thirdly. Another thing which reconciles many to sustain State 
education is that, in the present condition of public opinion, the com- 
mon schools are the only ones for which State patronage can be secur- 
ed ; and, without the aid of the Stale, the general education of the 
people cannot be accomplished. 

^ ****** # 

" 2. On the other hand, the friends of tJie State system have no 
reason to oppose parochial schools. 

" First, because these schools do not owe their origin to hostility to 
the State system, but to views of Christian duty. Church schools are 
established for purposes which the State cannot accomplish. Whilst 
the latter aims only at qualifying its youth to be good citizens of the 
Commonwealth, the Church aims at preparing them both for the du- 
ties of this life and of the life to come. Secular education may, under 
certain circumstances, be good as far as it goes ; but religious educa- 
tion goes farther, and is better. 

******* 

" Second/y. The utmost extent to which the denominational .sys- 
tem can be now carried will leave much ground that can only be occu- 
pied by the State. Parochial schools cannot rival or supersede the 
common schools. There is abundant room for all. At the present 
time, a large number of private, or select schools, exist within the lim- 
its of States which have adopted the common school system. In Scot- 
land, the number of ' adventure schools,' as they are there called 



170 

exceeds the Bumber of parochial schools. There is no interference, 
because all have enough to do. Now, if, in this country, the parochial 
schools should so far increase as to take the place of the thousands of 
private schools, no clashing between the two systems would take place ; 
and even if parochial schools were added to the number of private 
schools, the interference would not be for evil. 

******* 

" Thirdly. Denominational schools are not exclusive, and need not 
be offensively sectarian. * * * Bigotry is commonly the result 
of ignorance. An educated Presbyterian, however strongly he may 
be attached to his own form of faith and worship, is commonly chari- 
table towards those who differ from him. 

******* 

" Fourthly. Another reason for the co-existence of the two kinds 
of schools is the health principle of competition. Monopolies are not 
only odious but dangerous. The granting of railroad privileges by the 
State to a mammoth company is nothing in comparison with the 
danger of allowing the State to control the entire work of education 
throughout the length and breadth of the land. A public scnool sys- 
tem might be made the engine of immense evil. It has the training 
of a nation at its command ; it may dictate its reading and control 
its current and general opinions." 



Extract from an Essay on Denominational Schools in the Pennsylvania School 
Joui'nal, by Elias Schneider. 

" A distribution of the school fund among our religious denominations 
would, of course, if properly done, have to be made according to the numeri- 
cal strength, and the number of children, in their schools. The officers of the 
State would theretbre need a yearly census before this fund could be equitably 
apportioned. Now how would such a census be made ? Would it include 
only the children of the different religious denominations, or as many more as 
each denomination could induce to enter its schools from those whose parents 
make no profession of religion V Suppose the latter. Look then for a 
moment at the consequences. Each religious body would of course make its 
utmost exertions to outstrip the others in efforts to acquire strength from 
those having no religious connection. Hence would follow jealousies and even 
hatred from members of one religious sect against those of another, growing al- 
ways in vehemency as one sect might be outstripped or over-reached, by the 
othei's. And nothing could operate more seriously against genuine religion 
than such an unhappy state of things. 

But it must not be supposed that all those who make no profession of reli- 
gion, would be willing to send their children to schools over which they could 
not be allowed to have any control. Being wholly denominational in their 
character, the voice of none could be regarded in what related to their man- 
agement, except those who belonged to these denominations. There would 
be a necessity, then, of assigning also a just portion of the school fund to those 
having no religious connection. For, being taxed alike with the rest, their 
claim upon this fund would be as just as that of any other body of men, and 
their separate schools would be equally entitled to support." 

" In regard to the last position, a few remarks must suffice. There arc 
some sects in our country, who call themselves rehgious bodies, but who advo- 



171 

eate and openly practice what is contrary to ordinary morality. Among these 
may be mentioned one, which advocates and practices polygam.y. This sect, 
it seems, increases with no ordinary additions to its number every year. It 
would have an equally just claim upon its portion of the school fund, if a dis- 
tribution were made. And in assigning its share of this money, the State 
would be virtually encouraging a doctrine not only in favor of immorality, 
but in violation of statute law, and the sect would thus use this money to in- 
crease its power to do evil. 

Suppose the present school system were abolished, as it actually would be 
if the school fund were distributed among our diflerent denominations, would 
it not also bring about a total destruction of all schools in the rural districts." 



Extract from the speech of the Rev. Dr. Bond, (Methodist) before the 
Common Council of New York city, October, 1840, upon the application 
of the Roman Catholics for an allowance from the public school money lor 
their separate schools. 

" But it is alleged that we are here to oppose Roman Catholics. Sir, we 
would oppose the Methodists if the same application was made by them. I 
would have stood here myself to oppose them, for I do not fear nor dodge any 
responsibility. We believe that all mankind are individually undergoing a 
moral and intellectual probation before God ; and that we cannot, without 
incurring the divine displeasure, substitute this probationary relation, by one 
before any man, or any number of men, whether Pope or Council, or the 
Methodist General Conference. None of these can release us from our obli- 
gations as probationers before God. " To our own master we stand or fall." 
If the Methodist Episcopal Church had issued her mandate to me not to ap- 
pear before this body, and not to oppose this application, I would have set her 
authority at naught. We believe that these Public Schools are necessary to 
our form of government ; that it is not safe to commit the preservation and 
perpetuation of the public liberty and of our civil institutions to an ignorant, 
untaught multitude, to those Avho will be incapable of appreciating their value, 
or who may be made the dupes of better educated but more Micked men. 
We say it is necessary to the perpetuation of public liberty that the commu- 
nity be educated— that all who exercise the elective franchise, should be taught 
to value our civil institutions. But we say that no sectarian body can do 
this ; it must be done by all together. If you were to give all this money to 
the sects, it could not be done — it can only be done by a common system, for 
if all the sects had this money divided amongst them, there is one half of the 
community who would not suffer their children to be taught by them. What 
then is to become of these children ? Our public liberties demand a public 
universal system of education, and this can only be effected by agents appoint- 
ed by the State, and answerable to the State ; it can never be done if the money 
be given to any denomination, or divided among all the sects. Sir, we allege 
this is the broad principle on which the Common Schools are established ; take 
this away, and you have no right to lay a tax at all ; you could not lay a tax 
with any justice for this purpose. If the money is to be distributed among 
the different sects and denominations of christians, and they are to use it as 
they think best, even for their own proselyting purposes — I speak of no particu- 
lar denomination — all have their pi'eferences and peculiar tenets, and all desire 
to make converts to their belief — I say give the money to this end, and what 
follows ? — ^Vhy, that you ought to tax them severally according to what they 
receive. What right have you to tax Roman Catholics for the support of 
Methodist Schools V or what right have you to tax Methodists for the support 
of Presbyterian Schools V In short, what right have you to tax any sect for 



172 

tlie support of Scliools of any i-ival sects ? You have first to ascertain what each 
roqi'ires to support the schools under their care, and then to tax that denomi- 
nation to the necessary amount. You liave no risht to tax me as a Methodist, 
for the Roman Catholic Scliools but only on the ground that education is 
necessary tor the preservation of our public liberties and for the public safety." 



Extracts from an article on Education, in the Westminster Review, for 

July, 1851. 

" Upon the second question — The mode of imparting religious instruction,- 
the friends of secular schools lay down two positions, — that the schoolmaster 
is not the person best fitted for religious teaching ; and that it is not wise to 
delay the acquisition of elementary knowledge until all sects are agreed upon 
the precise forms and points of doctrine which should be superadded. 

The misconceptions that exist on this part of our subject are more numei"- 
ous than upon any other; and they arc extraordinary; for, on examination, 
it will be ibund that the separation of religious from secular instruction, espe- 
cially as regards credal theology, is not a novel theory, but the rule rather 
than the exception of the existing system. The religious instruction now im- 
parted to the children of the working classes is almost exclusively confined to 
Sunday schools, with which no one proposes to interfere ; and in Sunday 
schools the teachers are not the masters of common day schools, but the zeal- 
ous junior members of a religious congregation, assisted by the minister." 

" In infant schools, where the requirements of secular instruction are less 
urgent, religion is made a leading feature of the system ; but here, again, 
we may remark that the intant school system does not include credal theo- 
logy. Fi'om the majority of infant schools catechisms are excluded." 

" The best schools, whether in England or on the Continent, are those in 
which this division of labor is carried to the greatest extent. The woi-st are 
those in which some half-educated broken-down tradesman undertakes to teach 
everything, and to act in the double capacity of schoolmaster and divine. 

It is not for want of schools, nor for want of schools in which religion is 
nominally taught, that the working people of this country form neither an In- 
structed nor a religious population ; but from the too great prepondei-ance of 
schools of the latter class. So much is thrown upon a narrow capacity, that 
nothing is effectually accomplished. Boys leave a charity school at fourteen, 
often without the ability to make out a grocer's bill, and without a sentiment 
connected with religion beyond that of the weariness of an unsupportable 
task. Prison Inspectors report, that among the juvenile delinquents at Park- 
hurst, and other prisons, there are lads of fifteen — a dozen times committed 
for as many different offences — as well versed in the Catechism and Liturgy 
as any member of the bench of Bishops. Of what avail can be religion if 
It be degraded Into a mere exercise of memory ? Better, surely, no teach- 
ing of religion than such modes of teaching it as reach neither the heart nor 
understanding, and end In practical Infidelity. 

It Is for the Interest of religion, that in every branch of education proper 
regard should ha had to the division of labor, and the division of time. It is 
injurious to religion to attempt to reconcile incompatibilities. Arithmetic Is one 
subject ; theology is another. Both are best taught separately, and at seasons 
separately appropriate to each ; for " to every thing there is a season, and a 
time to every purpose under heaven." It Is an awful experiment, fraught 
wi h a moral danger no one can adequately estimate — a danger involving the 
confounding together in the mind of all distinctions between formal conven- 
tionalities and sincere piety, to attempt amidst the uproar of a schuol-room, to 



173 

call off the attention of a cliild from a sum in the Rule of Three,* or a fault 
in grammar, to questions of God and eternity. 

The heuu ideal of religious instruction, would be that of a school supplied with 
mechanical teachers for all efficient, moral and intellectual processes ; each 
teacher restricted to the one department for which he might be the best fitted ; 
and the teacher of religion, a man such as Goldsmith's " Vicar of Wakefield," 
— one to win the affections of youth ; assembling a class for conversational 
lessons on God's providence, in a room apai't, free from all din and tumult 
and the intrusion of less solemn associations. There are schools in which this 
beau ideal is realized. Among them some under the superintendence of the 
present Dean of Hereford, Mr. Dawes. That they are not more numerous, is 
to be lamented. 



Extract from an address by Hiram Ketchum, Esq., (Presbyterian), before 
the American Bible Society. 

" You all know that it is an elementary principle of American law, and the 
American Constitution, and of American hearts, that the government has no 
right to raise money by tax for the support of Christian religion. And It Is a 
great elementary principle In American law and American politics, and of all 
American concerns, that religion here Is to be supported by voluntary contri- 
butions. It is our glory, our joy, that religion with us Is upheld by free hearts. 
Men may tax themselves, and I thank God they do tax themselves, for the 
support of religion ; but the State has no right to lay a tax for this purpose. 

It follows of necessity that these schools, maintained by a tax raised hy the 
State, are not nurseries for Instruction In religion. It is acknowledged in 
them ; It Is recognised by them. But the peculiar doctrines of any one sect 
must not be taught In schools supported by any moneys raised by a tax on the 
people. Hence, schools furnished by the State, provide for the education of 
the children, as common elementary schools, for Instruction In the common 
branches of education, and no more. Religious Instruction is left to the pa- 
rents, to spiritual teachers, to religious friends, and to Sabbath schools. But 
here, no Instruction Is given In any doctrines pecidlar to any denomination of 
Christians." 



Extract from a Lecture by Richard Gardner, Esq., before the Public 

School Association of Lancashire, England. 

" Another fundamental objection will be taken to the plan, as to which I 

shall not do more than throw out a few general observations. I alluded to 

the exclusion of theological teaching. This, it will be said. Is godless edu- 

* In a work on Elementary Arithmetic,' published by a former Secretary of the 
National School Society (the Kev. J. C. Wigram), the subject was illustrated by 
questions of the following tenor : — 

" The Children of Israel were sadly given to idolatiy, notwithstanding all they 
knew of God. Moses was obliged to have 3,000 men put to death for this grievous 
sin. What digits would you use to express this number? 

" Of Jacob's four wives, Leah had six sons, Rachel had two, Billah had two, and 
Zillah had also two. How many sons had Jacob?" 

We quote these as an example of that false system of congruities which we depre- 
cate, and which cannot be too earnestly condemned by religious minded men; but 
it is gratifying to be able to note that better counsels are now beginning to prevail 
in the National School Society, and that the work from which the above are taken 
is now laid aside in most of their schools. 

33 



174 

cation. Now, in the first place, that which is contemplated by the plan, or 
indeed by any system of day schools whatever, is not education at all, in the 
strict sense of the term. Education commences in the cradle, and is affected 
by all the circumstances of a man's lii'e in his course to the grave. The 
instruction received in the day school is one ot those circumstances which we 
desire to make as favorable as possible. Then comes the question. What is 
to be taught in the day school ? I very much doubt whether, under any cir- 
cumstances, this is the proper place for religious instruction. It is a place of 
'abor, of restraint, and sentiments of punishment. I doubt whether the Bible 
and the Catechism have their appropriate place amidst the routine of secular 
studies, and Avhether one and the same teacher should be called upon, in one 
and the same course, to pass from the spelling book and the rule of three to 
the mysteries and sanctions of Divine Truth. I lay very little stress upon 
that religious teaching which is given as a matter of drudgery and routine, 
sometimes, perhaps, amidst tears and disgrace. I know, at least, that this 
mixture is not generally attempted in daj' schools for the wealthier classes — 
at least it was not in m_y time. But however this may be as an educational 
question, the political aspect of the plan makes the exclusion in question 
necessary. Society cannot unite In its corporate capacity to teach theology, 
because society is one, but forms of faith are many. If society selects one 
form for its patronage, as the symbol of the nation's faith, it is in my opinion, 
giiilty of injustice; if many, or all, of latitudinarianlsm. It might be possible 
to devise a plan which would nominally get over the difficulty, but we are satis- 
fied that no compi-omise of the kind would work. But though the plan ex- 
cludes theology from its schools, not as undervaluing the importance of such 
studies, but from the necessity of the case, it is clear, I think, that it is calcu- 
lated to prove highly favorable to the effective teaching of religion in other 
and more appropropriate places. I believe that one reason for the compar- 
atively small success of the vast religious agencies, which are now at work in 
this country, is the low state of intellectual culture of the people. Depend 
npon it, that a nation of Protestants will never be a religious people, till it 
becomes an intelligent people, because Protestantism appeals so much to the 
understanding." 



Extract of a Lecture before the same by John Mills, Esq. 

" If the advantage of teaching be a social advantage, and if the evil of its 
neglect be a social evil, why not consign the task to social agency — to govern- 
ment for instance, as the recognised organ of society ? But an intelligent 
voluntary would readily reply to the reasoning, " I agree with you that the 
development of a man's nature Is a duty, and that the resulting advantage is a 
social one ; but it must not be forgotten, that one part of the desired development 
is of a religious nature. Religion is a matter to be dealt with by individual con- 
science ; the law of conscience is, in reference to religious belief, supreme. 
Creeds vary ; the tax fund is contributed by the believers of all the varietiea 
of creed. To devote any portion of that fund to the inculcation of any creed, 
is to violate the consciences of the adherents of all the rest. Between moral 
obligations, as between physical laws, there is, not indeed opposition, but due 
subordination, the lower to the higher. To secure human development by 
the compromise of spiritual freedom, would be to convert obedience to one 
behest of duty into a monstrous violation of another and higher requirement. 
This consideration, however, bj' no means impairs the obligation to educational 
effort, though it lays an interdict upon one particular method." 

" Men of all parties, from John Foster the Baptist, to Dr. Hook the vicar 
of Leeds, had for some time been uttering indignant j^rotests against the qui- 



175 

esence of the State in the matter of general education, before the pre?ent 
government, feeling the anomaly thus pointed out, addressed themselves to the 
task ofremoving it. There is reason to suppose* that a disposiion was not 
wantnig to present the country with a good national sj^stem of secular educa- 
tion, but this was denounced by anticipation with the glib adjective '■ (jodless ;' 
■while, on the other hand, the introduction of doctrinal religion into such a 
system would have been in direct defiance of a large party who conscientiously 
object to State endowments of religion. The government, therefore, saw no 
better means of bringing the national resources to bear upon national culture, 
than to hand over the public money in aid of local efibrts, in certain propor- 
tion to the amounts raised by the local promoters. This arrangement, and 
certain provisions for official inspection of schools, and award of salaries to 
pupil teachei's, form, substantially, the plan of the ' minutes of council.' " 

" That no spiritual interest is placed in peril by the adoption of a system of 
instruction which leaves docti-inal teaching to specially qualified spiritual 
functionaries is a fact not merely to be assumed in theory, but one wliich has 
been proved by actual experiment. On the testimony of M. Victor Cousin, 
accredited by Mr. Leonard Horner, a gentleman known to Lancashu'e, we are 
assured that, in Holland, after thirty years of instruction on this principle, 
the people 'are an honest and pious people; and Christianity is I'ooted in 
the manners and creeds of the people.' And of America, where a system 
similar in this respect is adopted, we are assured, by Sir Charles Lyell, that 
' the clergy are becoming more and more convinced that, Avhere the education 
of the million has been carried furthest, the people are most regular in their 
attendance on public worship, most zealous in the defence of their theological 
opinions, and most liberal in contributing funds for the support of their pas- 
tors and the building of churches.' So that to expedite the spread of secular 
knowledge is a process not only hostile, but largely helpful to the aims of the 
sects, even though the educational rate-fund be neither monopolized by one 
church nor shared by all." 

To this tact I allude, however, rather as a sedative for fears than as a stim- 
ulus to action. 



Extract of a Lecture before the same by Walter Feegusox, Esq. 

" I have indicated the kind of education which is given in the common 
school of New England and New York. It is unsectai'ian. Some persons in 
this country might be disposed to call it irreligious — godless : but in America 
its tendency is generally considered to be decidedly favorable to religion. — 
This much is certain, that where the common school system is most developed, 
there places of worship most abound, and are best attended, and ministers, 
missionaries, Bible and benevolent societies, are most liberally supported. — 
The most active promoters of common schools are religious men, not wanting 
in zeal for their respective theological opinions, but who do not think that it 
is their duty to insist on those opinions being inculcated in schools to which 
believers in other dogmas contribute equally with themselves. A high moral 
character is strictly insisted upon as the first and most indispensable cpialfica- 
tion for a teacher, for the want of which no attainments, and no powers of 
communicating them can atone ; but no creed test is used, and teachers are 
forbid to inculcate their peculiar religious views (whatever those may be) on 



*This supposition is founded upon a remarkable speech delivered by Lord Mor- 
peth, at York, during the time of the agitation consequent on the "^issuo of tho 
minutes of the privy council on education. 



176 

the children. This prohibition is not found to prevent conscientious and zeal- 
ous religionists from accepting the office of teacher ; and having once under- 
taken it, it would be deemed a breach of faith on their part did they attempt 
to proselytize the children." 



Extract from a Lecture before the same by Rev. W. McKerrow, of Man- 
chester, England. 

" It cannot fail, first of all to strike every one who makes inquiry into the 
subject of congregational schools, that they exhibit a lamentable waste of 
money and eflort. There has been in general but little forethought and cal- 
culation evinced in their formation. They have sprung from impulsive feeling, 
and not from sound judgment. The factory education bill, to which we have 
referred, brought many of them hastily into existence, and the late " Minutes 
of Council " have been the means of adding to their number. There seemed 
to be a kind of benevolent mania, prompting every where the erection of such 
schools ; and almost every Christian congregation that did not bestir itself to 
have one of them, was supposed by the zealous and sanguine to be indifferent 
to its duty and interest. But there being no considerate and kindly agreement 
amongst the sects, they have planted their educational establishments immedi- 
ately adjoining their places of worship, or as near to them as possible. It has 
followed that in many quarters schools have been by far too closely crowded. 
Costly buildings, not a few, are to be seen almost within speaking distance of 
each other, where there is not a sufficient jiopulation of children to fill them. 
We find, for example, eight of them (exclusive of private schools) in one dis- 
trict of our city within the radius of little more than a quarter of a mile, and 
some of these almost in juxtaposition ; and tour of them in another district, 
not more than two or three hundred yards apart. It is not to be wondered at, 
in these circumstances, that we should have empty rooms and dispirited teach- 
ers, as well as an unprofitable investment of money and expenditure of labor. 
And not having arrived as yet at the millenial jDcriod when the wolf shall 
dwell with the lamb, who can tell how much property may yet be rendered 
useless by the rivalship of sects ? We have heard it said that in various jDarts 
of the country Churchmen have waited to see where Dissenters would place 
their schools, and then, having allowed them to exhaust their resources, have 
commenced in their immediate vicinity an oppositional establishment ; and 
similar charges have been made by Churchmen against Dissenters. 

But another circumstance in connection with these church and chapel 
schools, which we must also consider, is, the uncertainty of their support and 
continuance. They commonly arise from some species of excitement which 
soon subsides ; they have not within them, nor in connection with them, the 
means of regular and constant sustenance and of permanency." 



Extract of a Lecture before the same association by Rev. Samuel David- 
son, D. D. 

" Still further, not only is it a matter of unavoidable expediency to keep 
away distinctive religious doctrine from the schools, because the plan could 
not otherwise commend itself to the sympathies of all, but it is better, both 
for the interests of religion and of secular education, that the separation in 
question should exist. 

It is better for religion that it should be dealt with In this method. It has 
always appeared to me that true religion has about it something so sacred and 
reverential as to demand a corresponding treatment. The Bible, claiming to 



177 

be a divine book, should be read and explained -mith a veneration befitting its 
origin. It is difficult, however, if not impossible, to do this amid the noise of 
a daily school. There the sacred volume soon comes to be looked on by the 
scholars as an ordinary book. It is associated with lessons, perhaps with disa- 
greeable tasks that tax the memory. Inseimbli/, it may be, and gradually, it 
takes its place virtiialli/ in the eyes of the pupils along with any other volume 
of varied contents. Amid the dust and drudgery of a common school, it does 
not long retain any hallowed association. It is put into the list of the lesson 
books, and comes round in the dull routine. Hence many carry away the most 
disagreeable recollections of it from the public school. Their memory asso- 
ciates it with feelings of irksomeness. They do not turn to it with pleasure 
in after life. They" have a sort of aversion to it. Such is the effect of making 
the Bible an ordinary school book. The same observations will apply to the 
catechisms, which are employed as embodying the distinctive principles of any 
religious denomination. It is not good, generally speaking, to make catechisms 
and confessions common books out of Avhich lessons are repeated to a teacher 
it a day-school, unless one wish to run the risk of making them distasteful 
ever after, and so creating an aversion to religion, or at least to the formula- 
ries of it." 

" Everything, therefore, which helps a man to think, or assists in the devel- 
opment of his mental resources, is favorable to religion. The more an indi- 
vidual learns, the longer he reflects, the better subject does he become for 
religious impression and training. All science contributes to the progess of 
revealed truth. The advocates, therefore, of the latter, instead of fearing, 
should welcome the triumphs of the former as illustrating the operations of the 
same Almighty Being whose footsteps are seen alike in nature and in revela- 
tion. If, then, the public schools which the plan of the Lancashire Associa- 
tion proposes be not directly religious — if the distinctive doctrines of one sect 
be not taught in them — they will at least be subservient to true religion. — 
They will strengthen the mind, and thereby prepare it for the reception of 
Divine truth. They will help the pupil to trace God's laws in nature and 
providence, conducting him to a point where others may take him up and lead 
him into the ulterior region of sacred truth. Theoretical knowledge is good 
in itself These schools propose to give a considerable amount of it. But in 
addition to that, they will seek to inculcate the immutable principles of justice, 
temperance, and the like, by holding up practical examples of them in history. 
They are meant to imbue the youthful mind with those moral maxims which lie 
at the foundation of all religion. Is not this sufficient V The objector says no. 
You must have far more than this. You must have what I consider true re- 
ligion. But they are meant to be schools for all ; and true religion means 
different things in the mouth of different professing Christians. We cannot 
have the true religion of each sectary, and at the same time avoid infringing 
on the rights of conscience. We want to preserve those rights inviolate ; and 
to have all taught as far as practicable in the public schools." 



Extract of a Lecture before the same, by Rev. Francis Tucker, of Man- 
chester. 

" And now I ask the devoted Sunday school teacher, (a character whom I 
love and honor,) whether a good secular education on the week day will not 
prepare for him more hopeful pupils on the Sabbath ? I ask him whether he 
would not gladly be spared the toil and drudgery of teaching the a b c of el- 
ementary instruction ? I ask him whether, when his whole soul has panted to 
lead his scholars on at once to the highest themes of human contemplation, he 
has not often felt himself chained and fettered by their inaptitude to think, or 
even their inabilitv to read V " 



178 

Extract from a Prize Essay by Rev. Edavard Higginson, published by the 
Central Society of Education in England. 

" In no country does the mutual intolerance of religious sectarianism dis- 
play itself more actively than in England. It mai's almost every project of 
benevolence in which the co-operation of numbers is to be desired. Each 
little sect is more ready to insist upon the introduction of its own special pur- 
poses into the plan, than to contribute to the general strength ; and the con- 
sequence commonly is, that each party pursues its own distinct course apart 
from the rest, and what ought to be the general cause of philanthropy, becomes 
in a great degree, the scene of contention and rivalry among opposing sects. 
In nothing is this more lamentably apparent than in the matter of education. 
Let the iSunday schools of the different sects be carefully examined ; and we 
believe they will be generally found to be devoted rather to the inculcation of 
the pecuhar theology of the sect, than to communication of Scriptural or gen- 
eral knowledge, or the cultivation of moral and devotional principles. Tar- 
tisans, of whatever religious creed, deeming religion the highest branch of 
education, insist, and rigiitly enough, that no education can be complete with- 
out it ; they only mistake in their application of this principle, when they 
severally insist upon their own distinctive doctrinal views as being essential to 
that religious education which they would have the young receive at school. — 
Instead of being satisfied to instil those leading principles of morality, respect- 
ing which they all agree, and to cultivate those religious affections in the young 
which are essentially the same in all devotional hearts, whatever may be the 
particular class of doctrinal opinions to which they may afterwards attach 
themselves, the zealots of each party can see no sufficient religious education 
short of the Inculcation of their own peculiarities of doctrine ; and they ac- 
cordingly withdraw to separate educational methods, and endeavor to perpet- 
uate in the young, whom they respectively claim as their own, a higher regard 
for their trivial distinctions of opinion, than for the great principles and greater 
habits of Intrinsic piety and goodness. At this present moment, a religious 
cry is ready to break out against any attempt on the part ot the State, to in- 
stitute schools for the general instructioia of the people, which, If Instituted by 
the State for the use ot all, must, of course, abstain from espousing the relig- 
ious peculiarities of any. The zealots of all religious parties are already 
agi'eeing among themselves, that ' education without religion' would be worse 
than no education at all ; and they feel convinced that any system proposed 
by the State would be an education without their own religious peculiarities. 
They know that any truly national plan must be free from the sectarianism of 
all sects whatever ; and they do not perceive how it might be so, and yet be 
intrinsically and beautifully religious. The zealous and the bigoted are al- 
most always tne leaders of each party; while the timid and the indiflerent, 
by simple acc^ulescence, give thesr numerical strength to the movements of 
the party, and the more enlightened and liberal too often hold aloof from the 
evidently useless conflict, in which their liberality of principle Avould be vul- 
garly denounced as heresy, and their moderation of spirit as a lack of zeal 
for God." 



Extract from a Prize Essay by Mrs. G. R. Porter, published by the same 

Society. 

" If an extensive system of education be advocated, dispassionate enquiry 
as to the best means of promoting the wished-for end, and sanguine hope as 
to the benefits which are to arise from such an undertaking, are immediately 
interrupted and disturbed by the question importunately asked — " What re- 



179 

ligion Is to be taught?" Parties soon lose sight of the ennobling subject — 
the raising and improving of our species ; and forget themselves in angry in- 
vective and virulent accusation ; giving melancholy proof that education has 
indeed been hitherto -wofully neglected, since it has failed to subdue that ex- 
clusive and intolerant spirit, -which thus mixes itself up with our better feelings, 
and would crush everything that is good and useful in our nature. Before we 
enquire " What religion is to be taught V" we should ask " what is religion ?" 
Does it consist in the belief of particular dogmas and creeds, or in that vital 
principle of the soul which purifies and exalts our nature and should be the 
prime mover of all our actions V The religion of Christ, which teaches men 
to love each other as brethren — which should lead them to exercise mutual 
charity and forbearance, and to join together heart and soul in transmitting 
and diffusing its Divine blessings to future generations by means of educa- 
tion — this religion is made the ostensible motive for hostility and opposition, 
and for counteracting every endeavor which does not originate in the exclu- 
siveness of sectarianism. Surely there viust be some mistake here. Religion 
rannot be inimical to good. This cannot be religion. Let us then shake off 
its unworthy counterfeit, and let us in the holy spirit of genuine Christianity 
fairly enter upon the subject ; let us, if possible, dismiss all angry feelings, all 
rooted prejudices, and institute a calm investigation as to the best manner of 
meeting and settling this great question." 



Extracts from a discourse ou the Modifications demanded by Roman 

Catholics in the common schools. By Dr. Bushnell, of Hartford, 

1853. 

" We have slid off, imperceptibly, from the old Puritan, upon an 
American basis, and have iindertaken to inaugurate a form of political 
order that holds no formal church connection. The properly Puritan 
common school is already quite gone by ; the intermixture of Metho- 
dists, Quakers, Unitarians, Episcopalians, and diverse other names of 
Christians, called protestants, has burst the capsule of Puritanism, 
and as far as the schools are concerned, it is quite passed away ; even 
the Westminster catechism is gone by, to be taught in the schools no 
more. In precisely the same manner, have we undertaken also to loosen 
the bonds of Protestantism in the schools, when the time demacding 
it arrives. To this we are mortgaged by our great American doctrine 
itself, and there is no way to escape the obligation but to renounce the 
doctrine, and resume, if we can, the forms and lost prerogatives of a 
state religion. 

But there is one thing, and a very great thing, that we have not 
lost, nor agreed to yield ; viz., commo?i schools. Here we may take 
our stand, and upon this we may insist as being a great American 
institution; one that has its beginnings with our history itself; 
one that is inseparably joined to the fortunes of the republic ; and 
one that can never wax old, or be discontinued in its rights and rea- 
sons, till the pillars of the state are themselves cloven down forever. 
We can not have Puritan common schools — these are gone already — 
we cannot have Protestant common scools, or those which are distioc- 
ively so ; but can we have comono7i schools, and these we must agree 
to maintain, till the la.«t or latest day of our liberties. These are 
American, as our liberties themselves are American, and whoever 



180 

requires of us, whether directly or by implication, to give them up, 
requires what is more than our boud promises, and what is, iu fact, 
a real affront to our name and birthright as^a people. 

* * * * *' * # 

This great institution, too, of common schools, is not only a part of 
the state, but is imperiously wanted as such, for the common training 
of so many classes and conditions of people. There needs to be some 
place where, in early childhood, they may be brought together and 
made acquainted with each other ; thus to wear away the sense of dis- 
tance, otherwise certain to become an established animosity of orders ; 
to form friendships ; to be exercised on a common footing of ingenu- 
ous rivalry ; the children of the rich to feel the power and to do honor 
to the struggles of merit in the lowly, when it rises above them ; the 
children of the poor to learn the force of merit, and feel the benign 
encouragement yielded by the blameless victories. Indeed, no child can 
be said to be well trained, especially no male child, who has not met 
the people as they are, above him or below, in the seatiugs, plays and 
studies of the common school. "Without this he can never be a fully 
qualified citizen, or prepared to act his part wisely as a citizen. Con- 
fined to a select school, where only the children of wealth and distinc- 
tion are gathered, he will not know what merit there is in the real 
virtues of the poor, or the power that slumbers in their talent. He 
will take his better dress as a token of his better quality, look down 
upon the children of the lowly with an educated contempt, pepare to 
take on lofty airs of confidence and presumption afterwards ; finally, 
to make the discovery when it is too late, that poverty has been the 
sturdy nurse of talent in some unhonored youth who comes up to af- 
front him by an equal, or mortify and crush him by an overmastering 
force. So also the children of the poor and lowly, if they should be 
privately educated, in some inferior degree, by the honest and faithful 
exertion of their parents : secreted as it were, in some back alley or 
obscure corner of the town, will either grow up in fierce, inbred hatred 
of the wealthier classes, or else in a mind cowed by undue modesty, as 
being of another and inferior quality, unable, therefore, to fight, the 
great battle of life hopefully, and counting it a kind of presumption 

to think that they can force their way iipward, even by merit itself. 

* '* * * * * * 

It is very plain that we cannot have common schools for the pur- 
poses above named, if we make distributions, whether of schools or of 
funds, under sectarian or ecclesiastical distinctions. At that moment 
the charm and very much of the reality of common schools vanish. 
Besides, the ecclesiastical distinctions are themselves distinctions also 
of classes, in another form, and such too as are much more dangerous 
than any distinctions of wealth. Let the Catholic children, for example, 
be driven out of our schools by unjust trespasses on their religion, or 
be withdrawn for mere pretexts that have no foundation, and just there 
commences a training in religious antipathies bitter as the grave — 
Never brought close enough to know each other, the children, subject 
to the great well known principles that whatever is unknown is mag- 
nified by the darkness it is under, have all their prejudices and repug- 



181 

nances magnified a thousand fold. They grow up in the conviction 
that there is nothing but evil in each other, and close to that lies the 
inference that they are right in doing what evil to each other they 
please. I complain not of the fact that they are not assimilated, but of 
what is far more dishonest and wicked, that they are not allowed to 
understand each other. They are brought up, in fact, for misunder- 
standing ; separated that they may misunderstand each other ; kept 
apart, walled up to heaven in the inclosures of their sects, that they 
may be as ignorant of each other, as inimical, as incapable of love and 
cordial good citizenship as possible. The arrangement is not only 
unchristian, but it is thoroughly un-American, hostile at every point, 
to our institutions themselves. No bitterness is so bitter, no seed of 
faction so rank, no division so irreconcilable, as that which grows out 
religious distinctions, sharpened to religious animosities, and softened 
by no terms of intercourse ; the more bitter when it begins with child- 
hood ; and yet more bitter when it is exasperated also by distinctions 
of property and social life that correspond ; and yet more bitter still, 
when it is aggravated also by distinctions of stock or nation. 

In the latter view, the withdrawing of our Catholic children from 
the common schools, unless from some real breach upon their religion, 
and the distribution demanded of public moneys to them in schools 
apart by themselves, is a bitter cruelty to the children, and a very un- 
just aifront to our institutions. We bid them welcome as they come, 
and open to their free possession, all the rights of our American citi- 
zenship. They, in return, forbid their children to be American, pen 
them as foreigners to keep them so, and traiu them up in the speech 
of Ashbod among us. And then, to complete the affront, they come 
to our legislatures demanding it as their right, to share in funds col- 
lected by a taxing of the whole people, and to have these funds applied 

to the purpose of keeping their children from being Americans. 
* ****** 

The old school Presbyterian church took grounds, six years ago, in 
their General Assembly, at the crisis of their high church zeal, against 
common and in favor of parochial schools. Hitherto their agitation 
has yielded little more than a degree of discouragement and disrespect 
to the schools of their country ; but if the Catbolics prevail in their 
attempt, they also will be forward in demanding the same rights, upon 
the same grounds, and their claim also must be granted. By that 

time the whole system of common schools is fatally shaken. 

******** 

In most of our American communities, especially those which are 
older and more homogeneous, we have no difficulty in retaining the 
Bible in the schools and doing every thing necessary to a sound Chris- 
tian training Nor, in the lai-ger cities, and the more recent settle- 
ments, where the population is partly Catholic, is there any, the least 
difficulty in arranging a plan so as to yield the accommodation they 
need, if only there were a real disposition on both sides to have the 
arrangement. And precisely here, I suspect, is the main difficulty. 
There may have been a want of consideration sometimes manifested 
on the Protestant side, or a willingness to thrust our own forms of 

24 



182 

religious teaching on the children of Catholics. Wherever we have 
insisted on retaining the Protestant Bible as a school book, and mak- 
ing the use of it by the children of Catholic families, compulsory, there 

has been good reason for complaining of our intolerance. 

******* 

Is it then impossible to prepare a volume, in the manner of the above 
card, which, without entering into any matter that pertains to Chris- 
tianity as a faith, or a grace of salvation, will yet comprise everything 
that pertains to the relative conditions of life, and even to God's au- 
thority concerning them — the Christian rules of forgiveness, gentle- 
ness, forbearance, docility, modesty, charity, truth, justice, temperance, 
industry, reverence towards God, drawn out in chapters, and formally 
developed — large extracts from the preceptive parts of the Bible, and 
its moral teachings ; from the Proverbs of Solomon, from the histories 
of Joseph and tiaman, from the history of Jesus, in his trial and cru- 
cifixion, taken as an example of conduct, from the moral teachings also 
of his sermon on the mount, the parable of the good Samaritan, the 
rule of the lowest seat, and other like expositions — enlivened also by 
those picturesque representations of Scripture that display the manner 
of human nature in matters of moral conduct, such as the parable of 
Jotham, the story of the ewe lamb, and the judgment of Solomon. In 
this way Christianity would have a clear and well ascertained place in 
the schools. A Christian conscience would be formed, and a habit of 
religious reverence. And though we could wish for something more, 
we might safely leave the higher mysteries of faith and salvation to be 
taught elsewhere. 

Out of these and other elements like these, it is not difficult to con- 
struct, by agreement, such a plan as will be Christian, and will not 
infringe, in the least, upon the tenets of either party, the Protestant 
or the Catholic. It has been done in Holland and, where it is much 
more difficult, in Ireland. The British government, undertaking 
at last, in good faith, to construct a plan of national education for Ire- 
land, appointed Archbishop Whatley and the Catholic Archbishop of 
Dublin, with five others, one a Presbyterian and one a Unitarian, to 
be a board or committee of superintendence. They agreed upon a selec- 
tion of reading lessons from both translations of the Scriptures, and, by 
means of a system of restrictions and qualifications, carefully arranged, 
providing for distinct methods and times of religious instructions, they 
were able to construct a union, not godless or negative, but thoroughly 
Christian in its character, and so to draw as many as 500,000 of the 
children into the public schools ; conferring thus upon the poor ne- 
glected and hitherto oppressed Irish, greater benefit than they have 
before received from any and all public measures since the conquest. 

There is a great deal of cant in this complaint of godless education, 
or the defect of religious instruction in schools, as Baptist Noel, Dr. 
Vaughan, and other distinguished English writers, have abundantly 
shown. It is not, of course, religious instruction for a child to be drill- 
ed, year upon year, in spelling out the words of the Bible, as a read- 



183 

ing book — it may be only an exercise that answers the problem how to 
dull the mind m^st etfectually to all sense of the Scripture words, and 
communicate least of their meaning. Nay, if the Scriptures were 
entirely excluded from the schools, and all formal teaching of religious 
doctrine, I would yet undertake, if I could have my liberty as a teacher, 
to communicate more of real Christian truth to a Catholic and a Protes- 
tant b(iy, seated side by side, in the regulation of their treatment of cnch 
other, as related in terms of justice and charity, and their government 
as members of the school community, (where truth, order, industry 
and obedience are duties laid upon the conscience, under Grod.) tlian 
they will ever draw from any catechism, or have worn into their brain 
by dull and stammering exercise of a Scripture reading lesson. The 
Irish schools have a distinct Christian character, oidy not as dis'iict 
sectarian as if they were wholly Protestant or wholly Catholic They 
are Christian schools, such as ours may be and ought to be, and, I trust, 
will be, to the latest generations, nor any the less so that they are 
common schools. 

Neither is it to be imagined or felt that religion has lost its place 
in the scheme of education, because the Scriptures are not read as a 
stated and compulsory exercise, or because the higher mysteries of 
Christianity as a faith or doctrine of salvation, are not generally tauolit 
but only the Christian rules of conduct, as pertaining to the'common 
relations of duty uiidtr God. What is wanting may .■'till be provided 
for, only less adequately, in other places: at home, in the church, or 
in lessons given by the clergy. It is not as when children are com- 
mitted to a given school, like the Girard College, for example, there 
to receive their whole training, and where, if it excludes religion they 
have no religious training at all 

It cannot be said by any, the most prejudiced critic, that our conduct 
as a people, to strangers and men of another religion, has not been 
generous and free beyond any former example in the history of man- 
kind. We have used hospitality without grudging. In one view it 
seems to be a dark and rather mysterious providence, that we have 
thrown upon us, to be our fellow-citizens, such multitudes of people 
depressed, for the most part, in character, instigated by prejudices so 
intense against our religion. But there is a brighter and more hopeful 
side to the picture. These Irish prejudices, embittered by the crushing 
tyranny of England, for three whole centuries and morf^ will grad- 
ually yield to the kindness of our hospitality, and to the discovery'^that 
it is not so much the Protestant religion that has been their enemy, as 
the jealousy and harsh dominion of conquest. God knows exactlv what 
is wanting, both in us and them, and God has thrown us too-ether that 
in terms of good citizenship, and acts of love, we may be gradually 
melted into one homogeneous people. Probably no existing form of 
Christianity is perfect — the Romish we are sure is not — the Puritan 
was not, else why should it so soon have lost its rigors? The Protes- 
tant, more generally viewed, contains a wider variety of elements, but 
these too seem to be waiting for some process of assimilation that shall 
weld them finally together. Therefore God, we may suppose, throws 



184 

:ill these diverse multitudes, Protestant aud Catholic, together, in cross- 
ings so various, and a ferment of experience so manifold, that he may 
wear us into some other and higher and more complete unity, than we 
are able, of ourselves and by our own wisdom, to settle. Let us look 
for this, proving ail things, and holding fast that which is good, until 
the glorious result of a perfected and comprehensive Christianity is 
made to appear, and is set up here for a sign to all nations. 



Extracts from the New Englander for April, 1848, a religious Quarterly 
Keview published at New Haven, Coun. 

The proposed substitution of Sectarian for Public Schools. 

" In the last number of our last volume, in a note to an article on ' The com- 
mon school controversy in Massachusetts,' we announced our intention to give 
a distinct consideration to the subject of 'parochial schools'— by which phrase 
weniean church schools — schools under the direction, control, and support of 
rehgious sects or denominations. 

" This subject has, of late, been urged on the public attention In various 
ways. For many yeai's past, in this country, several religious denominations 
have manifested not a little uneasiness at the prevalent common school sys- 
tem, because it excludes (as from its nature itmust^ all distinctively sectarian 
rehgious instruction ; and have evinced a desire to have schools which would 
be under their exclusive supervision. The Roman Catholics almost univer- 
sally, * * * have opposed the attendance of children of that denomination 
upon the public schools ; and have, in some instances, requested or demanded 
a i)ortion of the public school money for the support of Roman Catholic 
schools. Episcopal conventions and Episcopal bishops in their charges, have 
recommended the establishment of Episcopal schools, especially those of a 
higher grade. The section of the Presbyterian church, called ' old school, in 
their jjeriodicals, at meetings of Presbyteries and synods ; and for a few years 
past,_ at the annual meetings of their General Assembly, have given earnest 
consideration to the subject of ' parochial schools.' The able Secretary of the 
Assembly's Board of Education, (Rev. Cortland Van Rensalear) has been 
unwearied in urging the matter upon the attention of the ecclesiastical bodies, 
and of the members of that church. The General Assembly have listened, 
year after year, to elaborate rej^orts from committees appointed to investigate 
the subject, and to recommend appropriate plans, ways, and means. And 
they have expressed 'their firm conviction that the interests of the church 
and the glory of the Redeemer demand, that immediate and strenuous oiforts 
be made, as far as practicable, b)' every congregation, to establish within its 
bounds one or more primary schools.' Circulars have been addressed, in the 
name of the General Assembly, to all the Presbyteries and Sessions ot that 
church, urging action according to this recommendation, and calling upon all 
to contribute by annual collections, and, as individuals may be disposed, by do- 
nations and legacies, to form and maintain a Presbyterian school extension 
fund for the support of Presbyterian schools within the limits of feeble churches. 
And to the Assembly's Board of Education Is committed the care of this fund, 
and the general supervision and direction of the schools thereby organized 
and sustained. 

" Meanwhile the Congregationalists have not been uninterested spectators 
of this movement among their Presbyterian brethren. Some among them 
have approved It, and have been disposed to encourage one of similar chai'ac- 
acter within their own communion. At the last meeting of the General As- 



185 

sociation of Congregational ministers in one of the New England States, a 
paragraph Avas introduced into the annual report or circular on the state of 
religion, commending in high terms the system of church schools, brought to 
the notice of the Association by the report ot the delegate from the old school 
General Assembly. The paragraph, however, excited decided, and so far as 
appeared, general disapprobation, and was immediately stricken out. * * 

"The thoughts, which we have long been maturing on this subject, we shall 
endeavor to present in a series of distinct, yet closely related observations. 

" 1. The two systems of popular education, the common school system, and 
the church school system, cannot prosperously coexist, if indeed they can coex- 
ist at all. 

» * * * W * * 

" ir. < )n the question, thus reduced, it is pertinent to say that, while the 
church school system is new and untried, — yet to be introduced and estab- 
lished, — the common school system is established, tried and funded. 

* * ^; * * * * * 

" III. The preceding course of thought, showing the necessity of proving, 
and proving indubitably, the decided superiority of the church school system 
to the common school system, before any attempt can, with reason antl pro- 
priety, be made to substitute the Ibrmer lor the latter, brings us to a compari- 
son of the merits of the two systems. 

' " And here, after no little investigation and consideration of the matter, we 
are impelled by our thorough convictions to take the position, that lor the ed- 
ucational purposes and interests of a country like ours, the tried and established 
system of common schools, instead of being inferior, is decidedly superior in 
merit to any system of church or sectarian schools. If we were now to begin 
anew, the former ought to be chosen. 

******** 

" The right of the civil government, through its various departments, to 
establish, support and regulate a system of common schools, ("and it is by the 
civil government that this usuallj' has been, and, for aught we see, must usu- 
ally be, done, J this right being admitted, provided there is occasion for its ex- 
ercise, we are brought to consider the position already taken — the superiority 
of the established and tried common school system to the jjroposed substitute, 
the church school system. 

" 1. The commom school system secures the general, we may say the uni- 
versal, education of the people. The church school system would not. There 
would be a large number, who could not be reached by it, and who would 
grow up in ignorance. This is the first reason we offer to sustain our posi- 
tion. 

" This is a truth, (we will prove it to be such presently,^ whose importance 
cannot easily be exaggerated. Its importance we do not here argue. That 
would be superfluous. If there be any man who now denies that knowledge is 
good, or that an elementary education at least, is necessary to make one a 
good citizen, 'he must,' as another has said, 'be looked upon as a fossil relic 
of a past world — an antediluvian — one Avho is born behind the time.' We do 
not expect to number any such man among our readers. It is not necessary 
here to prove the intimate connection between ignorance and vice, nor that 
knowledge and virtue are specially im])ortant and neceseary for the citizens 
of a free country. A free people need the intelligence to discern the true 
amid the false, and the virtue to love and obey it. They must have the in- 
telligence to understand and defend their rights, and to retain in their own 
hand the exercise of their lawful powers, against all the machinations and arts 
of the ambitious, the designing, and the powerful. Despotism stands on pop- 
ular ignorance; freedom on popidar intelligence and virtue. And no cunning 
or care of man can make them change foundations. Among an inteUisent 



186 

and virtuous people, freedom will, sooner or later, displace despotism. Among 
an ignorant people, despotism will displace freedom. And for the security, 
much more for the prosperous working, of civil liberty, this intelligence must 
be extended to the whole people. It must be diffused as widely as in the ex- 
ei'cise of political sovereignty. Where almost every man over twenty-one 
years of age has a part in electing those who are to enact and execute laws, 
and make war or peace, it is unsafe to leave any such men, or their parents, 
or sisters, or any wdio form their character, or influence their conduct, with- 
out the enlightening and conservative power of education. It is not enough 
for the rich to educate their children, if the children of the poor are left to 
ignorance. It will not avail for Protestants to educate their children, if the chil- 
dren of the Romau Catholics are left without knowledge and discipline. It 
will not avail tor the members of churches and christian congregations to give 
their children instruction in good schools, if the children of those who care 
neither for Sabbaths nor sanctuaries, grow up untaught and ungoverned. The 
ballots of the one class weigh as much in the scales of the nation's destiny, as 
those of the other. They are all embarked in the same ship, to sink or swim 
together, and the ignorance and vice of a part endanger the prosperity and 
existence of the whole. 

'• And this, by the way, seems to us a strong argument to prove that a re- 
publican form of government, and a liberal extension of the elective franchise, 
are in accordance with the divine arrangment and pleasure ; for they tend 
more povverfully than do other forms of government and restricted suffrage to 
this excellent end, — knowledge and goodness among the people , since they 
lay on the community a strong constraint to educate and evangelize all its 
members. They use the powerful instinct of self-preservation in a nation, to 
compel it to give the means of knowledge and of grace to all its citizens. 

" That the common school system, if wisely and efficiently directed and 
supported, would secure the genei'al, indeed Ave may say the universal, preva- 
leuL'C of elementary education, is no conjecture. We know it. We know it 
from the experience of the past. We know what it will do by what it has 
done. There is left no room for reasonable doubt on this point, by the fact, 
that, in those states wherein the common school system has anything like a 
wise and energetic administration, the elementary education of the native 
population is universal — that few persons indeed can be found, born and 
bred in those communities, who cannot read and write. It may be said, that 
the trial has not been sufficient or fair, since the population of these states has 
been in the past vei-y unlike what it will be in the future, homogeneous. But it 
would be said without reason, for there has been from the begitming a variety 
of races, the white, the red, and the black, and, after the first century, and 
extensively for the last fifty years, a variety on the most miportant matter of 
discrepancy, religious opinion, certainly a large variety of the protestant sects. 
True, we have not had in these states as many Roman Catholics as we expect 
in the future to have, through the channels of emigration ; and there has been, 
in many cases, and, perhaps in a large proportion of cases, a refusal by Ro- 
man Catholics to allow their children to attend the common schools. But this 
refusal, we believe, has been owing mainly to a lack of due liberality on the 
part of the directors and teachers of these schools towards Roman Catholics, — 
to the fact that they were not allowed to come into the schools on any other 
than a Protestant footing, — that their religious peculiarities have not had the 
same liberal treatment, which the religious peculiarities of Protestants have 
received, — to the fact, in a word, that it has been insisted, unwisely and un- 
fairly, as we think, that the common schools should be Protestant schools, and 
that, if the children of Roman Catholics came into them, they should conform 
to Protestant rules, and receive a Protestant education. Whenever the op- 
posite principle has been adopted, and acted upon long enough to banish jeal- 



187 

ousy and excite confidence, there has been no difficulty in securing the at- 
tendance of Homan Catholic children.* And we anticipate little difficulty in 

*[Here follow the proofs, offered by the reviewer, that if a system of liberality 
and justice be practiced towards the Roman Catholics, they will send their children 
to the common schools. — Ed.] 

"Lowell, March 10, 1818. 

" My dear Sir, — Yours of the 4th inst. was duly received, with inquiries which I 
proceed to answer. 

" 1. Do the children of our foreign or imigrant population, especially the Catho- 
lic portion of them, attend our public schools ? 

" In the first settlement of Lowell in 1822, owing to several causes, the Irish were 
collected and built their dwellings chiefly in one quarter, on a tract of land known 
ever since as the Acre. A large population was here gathered, destitute of nearly 
every means of moral and intellectual improvement. It was not to be expected that 
a community thus situated and neglected, so near a populous town of New England 
people, could be viewed with iniiitference ; on the contrary, it would be watched 
with great anxiety and apprehension. Accordingly, by the advice and efforts of 
philanthropic persons, a room was soon rented and supplied with fuel and other 
necessaries, and a teacher placed there, who was remunerated by a small weekly vol- 
untary tax, I think, six cents a week for each child. From the poverty and indiffer- 
ence of these parents, however, the school was always languishing and became ex- 
tinct. From time to time it revived, and then, after months of feebleness again failed. 

"At the annual town meeting in May, 1830, an article was inserted in the warrant, 
for the appointment of a committee to '"consider the expedienc}' of establishing a 
separate school for the benefit of the Irish population. A committee thus appointed, 
reported in April, 1831, in favor of such a school. This report was accepted by the 
town, and as our schools were then carried on in districts, the sum of fifty dollars 
was apiu'opriatcd for the maintenance of a separate district school for the Irish. — 
Here was the fir^t municipal regulation relating to this matter, and the origin of the 
separation between the two races. The district school had many vicissitudes for 
three years, was kept only a part of the year as our other district schools were, and 
was often suspended because a suitable room could not be had. On the whole, it 
was unsatisfactory as in 1834. The Catholic priest here appears to have been carry- 
ing on a private school under his church, which had been erected in this quarter. In 
183-5, this gentleman made formal application to the school committee for aid, and 
was present at several of their meetings. The result of these deliberations is thus 
detailed in the annual report of the school committee in March, 1S36. 

" It is known to the citizens generally, that various fruitless attempts have been 
hitherto made to extend the benefits of our public schools more fidly to our Irish 
population. Those attempts have been hitherto frustrated, chiefiy perhaps by a 
natural apprehension on the part of the parents and pastors of placing their children 
xmder Protestant teachers, and in a measure also, by the mutual prejudices and con- 
sequent disagreements among the Protestant and Catlu)lic children themselves. — 
Your committee have great pleasure in stating that these difficulties appear to have 
been overcome, and the above most desirable object to have been finally accom- 
plished. 

"In .June last, Rev. Mr. Conolly, of the Catholic church, applied to the committee 
for such aid as they might l)e able to give to his exertions for the education and im- 
provement of the children under his charge. The committee entered readily and 
fully into his views, and in subsequent interviews a plan was matured and has since 
been put into operation. On the part of the committee, the following conditions 
were insisted on as indispensable, before any appropriation of the public money 
could be made : 

"'1. That the instructors must be examined as to their qualifications by the 
committee, and receive their appointment from them. 

"'2. That the l)ooks. exercises and studies should be all prescribed and regu- 
lated by the committee, and that no other whatever should be taught or allowed. 

"'3. That these schools should be placed, as respects the examinations, inspec- 
tion and general supervision of the committee, on precisely the same footing with 
the other schools of the town. 

" ' On the part of Mr. Conolly it was urged that to facilitate his efforts, and to ren- 
<ler the scheme acceptable to his parishoners, the instructors must be of the Catho- 
lic faith, and that the books prescribed should contain no statements of facts not 
admitted by that faith, nor any remarks reflecting injuriously upon their system of 
belief. These conditions were assented to by the committee; the books in use in 
other public schools were submitted to his inspection, and were by him fully ap- 



188 

securing their general attendance in the future, whenever the jealousy and 
opposition, which have unwisely been excited among the Roman Catholics, 

proved. On these principles tliere were establislied that year, three schools for the 
Irish.' 

"I have judged it necessary to give you these preliminary remarks, in order to 
explain our present position. By this mutual conciliation, we easily secured incal- 
culable advantages; and from these small beginnings have grown up a class of 
large and highly respectable schools, gathered from our most degraded population. 
The Irish children may now be found in everv school in the city in considerable 
numbers, even m our high school, while at the same time these s eparate Irish schools 
are crowded to overflowing, chiefiy because the latter are in the vicinity of our 
densest Irish population. 

•' We have had occasionally a Catholic priest who has tried to interfere, but with- 
out success. It is now years since these schools have been for a moment disturbed. 
All jealousy seems so to have disappeared, that I liud now that we have but /owr 
Catholic teachei-fi in our employ, and these females, while we have nine schools of Irish 
(•hildren exclusively. The original condition has gradually and designedly been 
falling into neglect. The Irish parents, the more respectable of them, attend the 
exhibitions of their children with great delight and pride. The separate Irish schools, 
in point of discipline, are admirable, and in attainments are quite respectable. 

"The number of Irish children, (and all our immigrants are Irish almost,) who 
have been members of our public schools the ])ast year-, I estimate at 1800. I have 
not the means of giving you the number of our Irish population ; and doubtless the 
number of children of Irish parents who attend no school is large. In every city, 
this is a fearful element of danger to us, and cannot be viewed but with the greatest 
concern. We have, however, the consolation of believing that incalculable good is 
resulting to those who are drawn within the influence of this great safeguard of our 
liberties. 

"2. Are any, and how many deterred from attending the public schools, on re- 
ligious grounds only ? 

"The number must he extremely small; and if any, I coxfld have no means 
of enumerating them. 

" I am. dear sir, respectfully and gratefully yours. "John 0. GKEiiN. 

" Hox. Horace Mann. 

" The second communication is from Fall River, Mass. We give the substance of 
it. There are in that place fourteen public day-schools. The aVerage attendance of 
each of these, for a week in March, 1848, is given, in figures approximating flic truth 
as near as practicable, and likewssc the attendance, in each, of Itoman Catholic 
children. The sum of the former is 1,14'^. The sum of the latter 209. Two hun- 
dred and nine Roman Catholic children, out of eleven hundred and thirty-nine chil- 
dren in the public day-schools. 

" There are in the same town two Roman Catholic schools ; one taught under the eye 
of the priest, and partly charitable; the other entirely of a private character. The 
former averages sixty, the latter thirty pupils. These are all who are known to our 
informant to be 'deterred from attending the public schools, on religious grounds.' 

The third communication is from Boston. We quote the following. 

" 'I cannot say what portion of our foreign population attend our public schools, 
not knowing how many there are in the city. But of 9,838 children in the primary 
schools on the last day of January, 1848, 4,644 were reported as of foreign parent- 
age. This is by no means the whole number, as many teachers do not report how 
many they have, but say ' few,' ' a great many,' ' a large proportion,' ' I caunot say 
how many,' &c. 

" ' Some of the children are Germans, English, &c., but the greater number are 
undoubtedly Irish. 

" ' I am not aware that any are kept away from our schools on religious grounds. 
I know one Roman Catholic priest who not only encourages the attendance of his 
children at our primary schools, but provides them with clothing and the necessary 
books, &c., to enable them to do so. He has been, or sent to me many times for 
tickets of admission; and I presume I have admitted thirty or forty children at his 
request within three months. I have to-day admitted five. He also occasionally 
goes into the schools, and sees that they attend, and appears to take much interest 
in their attending. He tells me that the Bishop and the clergy are friendly to our 
schools." 

To this information we need not add any comments. It fully sustains our posi- 
tion, and is fitted greatly to gratify the friends of popular ediication and of our 
country. We are happy to be able to give it, and express hereby our obligations to 
those who have communicated it to us. 



189 

shall be allayed by the adoption of the principle, manifestly reasonable and 
just, that in the common schools the religious peculiarities of all denominations 
shall receive like treatment, and be alike free from invasion. 

" On tlie other hand, for this school system, ■which whenever fairly and ef- 
ficiently administered, has secured, and manitestly will secure, the elementary 
education of the whole peo])le, we substitute the church or sectarian school 
system, the certain result will be, that many, very many of the people will 
not be educated at all — large masses will grow up untaught and undisciplined. 

" Of this truth a little examination and reflection will convince any one. — 
In the first place, there is in this country, and even in those parts of it which 
have had the most and best religious culture, a large mass of people, fmuch 
larger than they who have not examined into the matter are aware,J who do not 
belong to any religious denomination. All these would have a strong dislike 
of sectarian schools, whose avowed object is to train children in the doctrines 
and practices of a particular denomination or sect of Christians. Their chil- 
dren might, in some instances, be gathered into the church schools, by the 
benevolence and zeal of the teachers and patrons. But the instances would 
be few. The great majority would refuse to send their children, especially 
if, fas it must be to a greater extent and degree than under the common school 
system,^ any payment should be required. 

" Then, again, some religious denominations, in all places, would have no 
schools, or schools inadec[uate to the number of the children belonging to 
them; and yet would not, to any great extent certainly, send their children to 
the schools of other denominations. How is it now with Roman Catholic 
children, in places where, through jealousy of Protestant instruction, they 
are not sent to the common schools ? To a fearful extent, they are without 
any schools, growing up to maturity, — to the exercise of social influence and 
of popular sovereignty, — without instruction or discipline. And who does 
not know, that the Roman Catholic church never has, in any country, secured, 
or favored, the education of all her people ; and that, in this country, she is 
not strongly disposed, and if she were, would be unable, such is the poverty 
of a large proportion of her members, to sustain schools adequate for the 
purpose. Nothing is more certain, than that, between the invincible repug- 
nance of that church to send her children to schools of other churches avow- 
edly sectarian, and her indisposition and inability to maintain adequate schools 
of her own, large masses of her children would be left to ignorance with all 
its dangers, crimes and miseries. 

The same would be the result to a large extent with other denominations. 
Few of any denomination have a sufficient sense, and many maj- be said to 
have no sense at all, of the importance of education. In almost all, except 
the large places of this country, some of the religious denominations are few 
in numbers, feeble in strength and scattered in location, and yet none the less 
attached to their peculiarities, hardly able, often unable, and more often indis- 
posed, properly to sustain their religious institutions. A^ow what is more cer- 
tain, than that, in such cases, on the one hand they will have no schools of 
their own, or schools very insulRcient for the necessities of children, scattered 
here and there over a town three or five miles square, and that, on the other 
hand, they will not send their children to the schools of other denominations, 
established and sustained for instruction avowedly sectarian ? 

" With these views of the subject, — and we see not how any other can rea- 
sonably be taken, — we regard it as certain, that, if the system of church schools 
is substituted for the system of common schools, multitudes, even in portions 
of the country most favored, and much more in those least favored, with moral 
and religious privileg'^s, will grow up without the instruction and discipline of 
even an elementary education. This is a result worthv to be seriously pondered 
25 



190 

by all, and especially by those who are disposed, with more or less earnestness, 
to introduce a church school system, which, if successful, will infallibly dis- 
place the common school system, and become the sole reliance for popular 
education. 

" 2. We now call the attention of our readers to a second reason for our 
confident belief in the superiority of the common school to the proposed 
church school system. 

" The church schools must, in many, the vast majority of oases, be inferior 
in character to the common schools. 

" A few words will suffice to make this plain. It is proved by a class of 
facts to which allusion has already been made, such as these, — the prevalent 
inadequate sense of the importance of general education, and the consequent 
indisposition to contribute freely, much less with self-denial, for that end ; the 
minute sectarian divisions which exist in most places; and the widely distant 
residences of members of the same denomination in the same town. These 
facts, which do not materially affect the common schools, in which all can unite, 
are fatal, in a vast majority of cases, to the excellence, if not the existence, 
of church schools, supported, each, solely or chiefly, by those of its own de- 
nomination. Any one accjuainted with these facts, as they exist in our coun- 
try towns, will see in a moment, that church schools of a high order would 
generally be impracticable, and certainly, as men are, not to be expected. In 
towns of from twelve to twent}--five thousand inhabitants divided into four or 
more religious denominations, whose members are distributed over a surface 
four miles square, or three miles by five, who that knows with what difficulty, 
or reluctance, and insuthciency, they support their religious institutions, does 
not know, that, if they attempted, in addition thereto, to support church schools, 
these schools would be very meagerly sustained, if sustained at all ; would 
very imperfectly accommodate the scattered members of denomination, being 
at great distance from many of them ; and would inevitably be of very in- 
ferior character V Church schools in large cities, and one central church 
school for the ablest denominations in our largest towns, might be well sus- 
tained ; but, in all other cases, they must be of inferior merit, comparing very 
unfavorably with common schools, endowed, as they are, by state funds, at- 
tended by the children, and possessing the interest and sood will of the pa- 
rents, of all denominations, and located so as to accommodate the inhabitants 
of every neighborhood. 

" How much better, then, to direct our zeal, wisdom, energy and pecuniary 
liberality, to the improvement of our common schools, to secure to them gen- 
erally, that high degree of perfection, of which, in many instances, they have 
by experiment been proved capable, than to direct these forces to the estab- 
lishment of church schools, which, if generally established, will destroy com- 
mon schools, and will be, after all, of very inferior character. 

" 3. We have another reason for our decided preference of the common 
school, to the church school system. It is in accordance with the nature and 
necessities of our free institutions, with the comprehensive character of 
Christianity, and with the liberal spirit of the age. 

" The influence of the church school system, on the other hand, will be 
sectarian, divisive, narrow, clannish, anti-republican. 

" This we regard as a very weighty and decisive reason. It needs, how- 
ever, little amplification. The bare statement of it is almost sufficient. Its 
truth and force are at once seen. The reality and character of these diverse 
tendencies of the two school systems, are perceived at a glance. 

" It is unnecessary to dwell upon the importance of assimilating the people 
of this country, — of making them one in character and in spirit, and of the 
valu;? of institutions and influences for this end ; of which educational insti- 
tutions and influences are most practical and powerful. This assimilation and 



191 

unity of character and spirit are important in all nations, but especially in a 
nation politically free or self-governed, where all are equal in civil rights, 
where there arc so many common privileges, duties and responsibilities, and 
where the sovereignty ultimately rests in the whole people. The value of 
educational institutions and influences, having this assimilating and uniting 
tendency, as have common schools eminently, cannot be easily exairgerated in 
their relation to our native population, and especially in their relation to our 
immigrant population. As they come hither from all sections, nations and 
religions of Eui-ope, it is important that their children should be neither un- 
educated, nor educated by themselves, — that they find here educational insti- 
tutions for the whole people, which will command their confidence, and secure 
the attendance of their children. The children of this country, of Avhatever 
parentage, should, not wholly, but to a certain extent, be educated together, — 
be educated, not as Baptists or Methodists, or Episcopalians, or Presbyterians; 
not as iioman Catholics or Protestants ; still less as foreigners in language or 
spirit ; but as Americans, as made of one blood, and citizens of the same free 
country, — educated to be one harmonious people. This, the common sidiool 
system, if wisely and liberally conducted, is well fitted, in part at least, to ac- 
complish, while it does not profess to give a complete education, and alloAvs 
ample opportunity for instruction and training in denominational pecidiarities 
elsewhere, it yet brings the children of all sects together, gives them, to a 
limited extent, a common or like education, and, by such education, and by 
the commingling, ac(|uaintance and fellowship which it involves, in the early, 
unprejudiced and impressible periods of life, assimilates and unites them. — 
And it is with serious regret that we see it recommended, and zealously urged, 
to substitute for this common school system, a system of dividing children into 
sectarian schools for the avowed purpose of teaching them sectarian peculiar- 
ities. — a system which is fitted to lay deep in the impressible mind of child- 
hood the foundations of divisions and alienations, — a system well fitted to drive 
the children of foreigners, and especially of Roman Catholics, into clans by 
themselves, where ignorance and prejudice respecting the native population, 
and a spirit remote from the American, and hostile to the Protestant, will be 
fostered in them. 

" It is with great pleasure that we have witnessed, for some years, infln- 
ences and movements, fitted and intended to wear off the sharpness of secta- 
rian distinctions; to open and reduce the walls of sectarian division; and to 
soften sectarian asperity, — fitted to convince men that all truth and wisdom 
are not in their sect ; to help them to see whatever is excellent in other de- 
nominations; and to dispose them, while retaining an attachment to their own 
peculiarities, to place a paramount value upon the great truths in which all 
true Christians agree, and to unite in common enterprises and endeavors to 
promote the great objects of a common Christianity. And it is with mortifi- 
cation and impatience that we now see a movement virtually to subvert our 
common schools, so beneficent for purposes of unity and harmony, on the 
ground that they are not sufficiently sectarian, — that they do not admit secta- 
rian instruction, — will not allow, as text-books, the AVestminster and Church 
CEpiscopalJ Catechisms. Must we, then, carry our sectarianism into every- 
thinq ? Can there not be one of the many spheres of educational influence, 
where all may meet as on common ground V Must our children be all dis- 
tributed into denominational quarters and shut up therein, for fear they will, 
for a few hours of the day, lack the teaching of our sectarian peculiarities V 
Is there nothing, not even a day-school, which we may undertake without the 
Westminster Catechism, or the Book of Common Prayer ? Must we carry 
into everything our sectarian manuals, and utter everywhere our sectarian 
shibboleths? Verily, we had been encouraged to hope for better things. — 
Verily, this is a backward movement, a narrowing and belittling operation, 



192 

in this age of growing Christian union and charity, which we vehemently 
disHke. 

_'_'IV. The preceding course of argument fully evinces the duty of good 
citizens to sustain the common schools rather than introduce the church 
schools, provided the varieties of rehgious belief in our comumnilies do not 
render any safe and valuable system of instruction in the former impracti- 
cable. 

" This brings us to the great, and, so far as appears, the only objection to 
the common school system, — the religious objection. ' If, fsay many,J we 
niust give up the teaching of our religious doctrines in common schools, then 
give us parochial schools. Deliver us from an irreligious education for the 
young.' We have no doubt that some good and able men, not illiberal, or 
especially given to sectarianism, have, by such views and feelings, been led to 
look with lavor on the church school movement. Our own state of mind was 
for a time such that we are enabled to appreciate their views and feelings. — 
And if it had not been, their character and general aims would preclude us 
from speaking of them otherwise than with respect and atfection. We feel 
entire confidence, however, that a full investigation of the subject, a fair con- 
sideration of the views which have convinced us, Avill remove their anxieties 
concerning the common school system, and confii-m them in its support. 

"To this objection we Avould give such consideration as the character of 
those who indulge it, and its relations to our subject require. And we ex- 
press, at the outset, our strong conviction that, while many theoretical difficul- 
ties may easily be called up and set in array ; yet, if the several religious de- 
nominations will act with an enlightened public spirit, with an earnest desire 
for t!ie promotion of the common weal by general education, and with the ex- 
ercise of even a moderate degree of candor, liberality, and courtesy, toward 
each other, the practical difficulties will be found very few and small. 

^ " We begin by admitting in full, if necessary we will contend for, the prin- 
ciple, that, in common schools, schools under state and civil patronage, all 
religious denominations should stand on the same footing, should receive im- 
partial treatment, and should all be protected from the invasion of their re- 
ligious peculiarities. The opposite principle which has been so extensively 
adopted in tlie discussion of this subject, that in this country the state or civil 
power is Christian and Protestant, and therefore that schools sustained and 
directed in part thereby are Christian and Protestant, and that whoever at- 
tends them has no right to object to a rule requiring all to study Christian and 
Protestant books and doctrines, Ave Avholly disbelieve and deny. The state, 
the dyil power hi Avhatever form m this country, is no more Protestant, or 
Christian, than it is Jewish or Mohammedan. It is of no religion Avhatever. — 
It is simply political, interposing, or having the right to interpose, in matters 
of religion, only by protecting i'ts citizens m the free exercise of their religion, 
Avhatever it be ; of course, excepting such violations of civil rights, of civil 
morality, as any may commit under pretence, or a fanatical sense, of religion. 
If a company of JMohammedans should take up their residence in one ot our 
New England tOAvns, they Avould be entitled freely to build their mosque, and 
to exercise their Avorship therein ; and entided, also, as citizens, should they 
become citizens, to participate in the privileges of the common schools, on the 
same ground with others,— entitled to the same consideration of their relig- 
ious peculiarities, either by having a separate school or otherAvise, Avhich the 
peculiarities of other religious denominations receive. ISuch is the principle 
of our political institutions on this subject. And such it ought to be. 'Ihis 
only is in accordance Avith that entire religious liberty Avhich is recognized by 
the constitution of the United States. This only fully guarantees "the rights 
of conscience, and the free, unconstrained exercise of private judgment in 
sacred things. This best promotes the general interests, rehgious as Avell as 



193 

civil and social. And this alone accords with the nature of true religion ; 
which is not and cannot be exercised by a corporation or state as such, but 
only by individuals, acting in their several spheres, public and private, — is 
not. and cannot be a corporation or state affair, but an affair of the individual 
soul, between that soul on the one hand and God and men on the other. — 
According to all just ideas of religion, a state religion is an absurdity, a self- 
contradiction. 

" Let us not be misunderstood. A majority of the people of this country 
are undoubtedly Christian and Protestant. And therefore, the country is 
properly called Christian and Protestant. Moreover, they who are chosen to 
enact and execute our laws are bound, under their responsibility as individual 
men, to be Christians, and to act in all their public duties each under the in- 
fluence of Christian principle. This truth cannot be too thoroughly enforced 
and felt. But the state, as a state, is simply political ; — is of no religious de- 
nomination, or religion, whatever, any more than a bank or an insurance 
company ; — is such as to forbid the holding of its offices, and the performance 
of its duties, no more by infidels, Mohammedans, Jews, or Koman Catholics, 
than by Christians and "Protestants. It is, and ought to be, such that all po- 
litical privileges and all civil advantages afforded thereby, are accessible and 
available to all alike of whatever religion. The sooner Christians, generally 
understand and acknowledge this truth, the better, — the better for their own 
satisfaction, eomtbrt and hope, and the better' for their influence on the gen- 
eral interests." * * * * * * * 

" We fully admit, and if necessary, would strenuously contend that, of a 
complete education, the religious instruction and influence is an essential part, 
and far the most imjjortant part ; and that it should be given in all the periods 
of a child's life. Any educational instruction, therefore, which assumes for 
any considerable j^eriod, the whole education and training of a child or youth, 
like Girard College, or Dr. Arnold's Bugby School, or the many tamily 
schools in this country for boys or misses ; and yet gives no religious instruc- 
tion and training, is justly said to give an irreligious and godless eilucation. — 
But to say the same of a day-ncliool which gives only secular instruction, — in- 
struction that does not discredit or interfere with, but prepai'es the way for and 
indirectly aids, religion, during only four or six hours in the dciy, avowedly 
leaving religious instruction to other and better teachers, is palpably illogical 
and unfair. What Avould be thought of a general application of such logic V 
A boy, who lives in his father's family, is employed six hours a day in a me- 
chanic's manufactory, or in a merchant's store, or in a bank, but he receives, 
during those hours, no direct doctrinal or theological teaching ; therefore that 
employment is irreligious, and the manufactory, the store and the bank are 
atheistic ! A young man attends a course of chemical lectures, but in those 
lectures hears no theological or biblical teaching; therefore, his chemical in- 
struction is irreligious, and the chemical lectures are atheistic ! A young man 
becomes a member of a medical school, or a law school, but he hears from 
the professors of medicine or law no theological instruction ; therefore, the 
medical school or the laAv school is irreligious and atheistic ! Plainly, in edu- 
cation, as well as in other things, there must be, — certainly there maij be, a 
division of labor ; and secular teaching may be the exclusive department, — 
it must be the chief department, — of the day-school ; while religious teaching 
is provided in other and better waj's. And religious teaching may be none 
the less religious, because it is not given by the individual who teaches reading, 
writing and arithmetic ; and the teaching in the department of reading, wri- 
ting and arithmetic, should not be accounted irreligious and atheistic because 
it is not conjoined or combined with theological teaching. 

" Very little jealousy has been encountered with regard to religious influ- 
ence in the common schools of New England. Almost uniformly, in the 



194 

country towns, the ministers of the different denominations are the prominent 
members of the si-hool committee and boai'd of visiters ; and they usually find 
no difficulty, when on their visits, ia communicating whatever religious in- 
struction, and in using whatever religious influence, their judgment approves. 
" If there should be districts, as probably there would be a few, in which the 
members of different religious denominations, not satisfied with the teaching of 
the common Christianity, should insist on the teaching of their distinctive 
doctrines, even so let it be. Let each scholar read or study his own Bible, 
and his own catechism. The pupils might, if it should be thought most con- 
venient and wise, when the time for religious instruction arrived, be classified 
for this purpose, — the Roman Catholics, with their Douay or Catholic version 
of the Bible, and catechism, in one class; the Episcopalians, with their Church 
of England catechism, in another; the Pi-esbyterians, or Congregationalists, 
with their catechisms, in another ; and the Methodists and Baptists, with their 
doctrinal manuals, each in another ; and if there should be other varieties, 
let them be classed accordingly. We think the working of this would be ad- 
mirable. It would be a spectacle of unity in diversity, very pleasant to see. 
It would form an early habit of agreeing to disagrpe, and of respecting each 
the religious peculiarities and associations of the other, which, without dan- 
ger, would tend greatly to charity and harmony in after life. We know this 
is practicable ; for we have seen it practiced for many years in a select school. 
We well recollect, that in our early days we attended for many years, an ex- 
cellent private school, in which, every Saturday forenoon, we received relig- 
ious instruction on the elective affinity principle. We studied and recited 
our Westminster Catechism side by side with another who studied and recited 
the Church Catechism. And we well remember our boyish grievance in 
having so much the longest lesson. 

******* 

" The day-school is, indeed, a powerful auxiliary to religion, in the way of 
preparation. It teaches elementary knowledge, and gives the power of study- 
ing the Bible and other religious books. It disciplines the intellectual facul- 
ties. It disciplines the will, and the moral feelings. By a proper government, 
it teaches and necessitates subordination to superiors, subjugation of self-wili 
and self-indulgence, regard for truth, control of temper, industrious, patient 
and persevering application, and that reverence for the Deity and sacred 
things, and those universal principles of morals, in which all agree. In a 
word, the daily discipline of a school, and the incidental moral teaching it im- 
plies, work right principles into the minds of the pupils, and that in the per- 
manent form of habits. So that the day-school is an important preparative 
and aid, to religious teaching. But its direct religious or doctrinal instruc- 
tion, when attempted, is of very little value, if it is not, as we think it is on 
the whole, worse than nothing. Of course there are manifest and decided 
exceptions, — in the case of teachers of peculiar piety, and competency for 
religious instruction. But this does not invalidate the general truth ; which 
is attested by enlightened observation — the observation of those acquainted 
with private schools in which religious instruction is attempted, (for, as we 
have said, there has been almost none in our public schools,) and by the ob- 
servation of those who have been familiar with the national schools of Great 
Britain, where somewhat thorough religious teaching is required. Some tes- 
timony of this latter kind we will adduce. 

" The Hon. and Rev. Baptist W. Noel, whom our readers know as an able 
and evangelical clergyman of the church of England, in a report, which, as 
an inspector of schools, he addressed to the Comnnttee of Council on Educa- 
tion, after having spent two months in visiting 195 schools, writes thus — we 
have room for only a short extract. — ' But it was in their understanding of 
the Scriptures, daily read, that I regretted to find the most advanced children 



195 

of the national schools so extremely defective. Not only were they often ig- 
norant of the principal facts recorded in the Bible, but they could not answer 
even the simplest (juestious upon the chapters which they had most recently 
read. Nor was their religious ignorance lessened by their knowledge of the 
catechism. I several times examined the first class upon a portion of the cate- 
chism, and I never once found them to comprehend it. * * * Both in read- 
ing the scriptures to the monitors, and in repeating the catechism, the children 
showed a marked inattention and weariness, occasionally varied, when the 
master's eye was not on them, by tokens of roguish merriment. * * * Being 
thus made the medium through Avhich reading and spelling are taught, it 
(the Bible) becomes associated in their minds with all the rebukes and pun- 
ishments to which bad reading, or false spelling, or inattention in class ex- 
poses them ; and it is well if being tlms used for purposes never designed, it 
do not become permanently the symbol of all that is irksome and reprdsive.' 

" Equally decisive, and more directly to the confirmation of our position, 
is the testimony of Dr. Vaughan. — ' For our own part, we have always enter- 
tained a very low opinion ot the religious instruction given in day-schools, 
and of the religious impression produced by it. We have thought that a fuss has 
been made about it wonderfully greater than the thingitself would justify. It 
has reminded us too much of our Oxford religionists, who would pass for being 
verv pious because prayers are read in the college chapel every morning. — 
We* admit most readily, that the training of a good day-school may prepare a 
young mind for receiving religious lessons with advantage from the lips of a 
parent, a Sunday school teacher, or a minister ; but the man must have been 
a sorry observer of day-schools, who can regard the religious instruction ob- 
tained there as being, while existing alone, of any great value.'* 

" ' But while I believe many pious persons are most honest in their de- 
mands on this point, and while I admit that many teachers in daily schools do 
their best to give a religious cast to their instructions, I am still obliged to re- 
peat, that I have a very humble opinion of the direct religious instruction 
which is given in day-schools, or that can ever be given in such institutions. 
Nor do I speak without experience on this subject. I have served more than 
one apprenticeship in superintendence of schools on the British system, and 
the great benefit of such schools, 1 have always found to consist, not in any 
direct religious impression produced by them, but in their adaptation to pre- 
pare the young for receiving religious instruction with advantage elsewhere. 
My experience, in this respect, must be, I feel assured, that of a great major- 
ity of persons who have been observant of the working of day-schools. In 
other departments, men soon become alive to the advantages of a division of 
labor ; and why should not popular education partake of benefit from such 
arrangements V Why might not one part of education be given by the school- 
master, another by the parent, by the minister of religion, or by the Sunday 
school teacher ? Does religion cease to be a part of education, because not 
taught by the person who teaches reading and arithmetic V In fact, is there 
not danger that sacred things may lose something of their sacredness by being 
mixed up with the rough and often noisy routine of a day-school ? One would 
think that to give religion a place apart after this manner, and to approafh it 
with a special seriousness, would be to secure attention to it, only the more 
becoming and promising. Sure I am, there are many considerate and devout 
persons who would prefer such a method purely on account of its better re- 
ligious tendency. Let the day-school inculcate a reverence of truth and jus- 
tice, and a love of everything kind, generous and noble-hearted, and let the 



* The British Quarterly Review, Vol. IV, p. 271. 



196 

directly religious instruction be grafted upon such teaching, and it will be the 
fault of the agents, and not the method, if" you do not realize a scheme of 
popular education ol the highest value. Nor can I doubt that the intermix- 
ture of the children, of all sects, in such schools, would tend to abate our secta- 
rian animosities, and render the next generation, in that respect, an improve- 
ment on the past.'* 

" Here we leave the subject. It is one in which we feel the deepest inter- 
est : for it is one, we believe, of great moment. We earnestly commend our 
reasonings and conclusions to public attention. They seem to us not only 
true, but timely. There has been manifested, of late, a growing disposition 
to dishonor and abandon our noble and beneficent system of common schools, 
and to substitute for it a system of sectarian schools, which must be inferior 
in character, and, (what is more important,) cannot perform the work which 
common schools, when wisely and energetically administered, perform so well, 
the vital work of general education, of educating the whole people, — a system, 
moreover, hostile to social and civil harmony. We cannot but think that if 
the subject is fairly placed before the public mind, this movement will be ar- 
rested. We hope, — perhaps it is hoping against hope, — that our Presbyte- 
rian brethren fold school) who have recommended and commenced the 
movement, will recede. Certainlv we hope that no other denomination will 
follow their example. Far distant"be the day,— LET IT NEVER COME,— 
when, In our beloved New England, the time-tested and time-honored com- 
mon school system shall be abandoned, or weakened. Rather let renewed, 
persevering and united efibrts be put forth to give it universally that perfec- 
tion, of which it is capable, and which already, in many places, it has nearly 
attained." 



The Chartists " show their sagacity in distrusting the education 
which would be given them by the mass of the aristocracy and clergy. 
It would be a servile one. Nothing would discourage me more than 
the success of the clergy in getting the education of the country into 
their hands. Religion as it is called, would then become associated 
with old abuses and prejudices, and the spirit of reform would conse- 
quently become irreligious, so that not a few of the most active and 
generous spirits in the community would be found in the ranks of in- 
fidelity " — Channing's Life, 3, 60. 



Extract from " Educational Institutions in the United States, their 
character and organization," by Dr. P. A. Silistro.m, a Swedish 
traveller in the United States. Translated from the Swedish by 
Frederica Rowan. 

" I stated above that a truly religious spirit may reign in a school, 
notwithstanding that religion is excluded as a subject of positive in- 
struction ; but may we not go further and assert that in reality religion 
suffers from being made a subject of instruction in the daily schools? 
as religious instruction in the common schools must alternate with 
the temporal studies, is it not probaple that in the minds of the pupils 

* Letter to the editor of the Morning Chronicle, on the question of popular edu- 
cation. 



197 

it will be placed on a level with other subjects? Is it not probable 
that the teacher will either treat the one subject in exactly the sanii 
mauuer as the others, that is to say, they will treat it as an intellect- 
ual exercise and nothing more? and can one suppose that all this will 
not contribute to degrade and profane religion in the thoughts of the 
young ? at least as far as my experience goes, it tells me that thus it 
is. Observe the tone which generally rules in schools, where never- 
theless, religion is daily taught. If there be an hour of school time 
from which it is thought absence will be of no consequence, it is 
the hour of prayer. And who that has ever frequented a school has 
not as many bitter or disagreeable recollections connected with the 
religious teaching as with any other lessons ? Who has not witnessed 
daily ebullitions of temper in the teacher as well as pupils, and found 
these as often called forth by the religious exercises as by any other ? 
And is it not most de.sirai>lo that every thing of this kind should be 
avoided in connection with such a subject as reiigion ?" — West. Review. 



Extract giving the last views of Dr. Chalmers upon tlic religious edu- 
cntion question 
" It were the best state of things, that we had a Parliament suffi- 
ciently theological to discriminate between the right and the wrong in 
religion, and to encourage or endow accordingly. But falling this, 
it seems to us the next best thing, that in any public measure, for 
helping on the education of the people, Government were to abstain 
from introducing the element of religion at all into their part of the 
scheme, and this not because they held the matter to be insignificant 
— the contrary might be strongly expressed in the preambh; of their 
act ; but on the ground that, in the present divided state of the Chris- 
tian world, they would take no cognizance of, just because tliey would 
attempt no control over the religion of applicants for aid — leaving 
this matter entire to the parties who had to do with the erection and 
management of the schools which they had been called upon to assist. 
A grant by the State upon this footing, might be regarded as being 
appropriately and exclusively the expression of their value for a good 
secular education. 

" The confinement, for the time being, of any Government measure 
for schools to this object, we hold to be an imputation, not so much on 
the present state of our Legislature, as on the present state of the 
Christian world, now broken up into sects and parties innumerable, 
and seemingly incapable of any effort for so healing these wretched di- 
visions, as to present the rulers of our country with aught like such a 
clear and unequivocal majority in favor of what is good and true, as 
might at once determine them to fix upon and to espouse it. 

" It is this which has encompassed the Government with difficulties, 

from which we can see no other method of extrication than the one 

which we have ventured to suggest. And as there seems no reason 

why, because of these unresolved differences, a public measure for the 

26 



198 

health of all — for the recreation of all — for the economic advancement 
oi:' all — should bo held in abeyance, there seems as little reason why, 
because of these difi'erences, a public measure for raising the general 
intelligence of all should be held ia abeyance. Let the men, there- 
fore, of all churches and all denominations, alike hail such a measure, 
whether as carried into eifect by a good education in letters or in any 
of the sciences ; and, meanwhile, in these very seminaries, let that ed- 
ucation in religion which the Legislature abstains from providing for, 
be provided for as freely and amply as they will by those who have 
undertaken the charge of them. 

'• We should hope, as the result of such a scheme, for a most whole- 
some rivalship on the part of many in the great aim of rearing on the 
basis of their respective systems amoral and Christian population, well 
taught in the principles and doctrines of the gospel, along with being 
well taught in the lessons of ordinary scholarship. Although no at- 
tempt should be made to regulate or to enforce the lessons of religion 
in the inner hall of legislation, this will not prevent, but rather stimu- 
late to a greater earnestness in the contest between truth and false- 
liood — between liglit and darkness — in the outer field of society ; nor 
will the result of such a contest in favor of what is right and good be 
at all the more unlikely, that the families of the land have been raised 
by the helping hand of the state to a higher platform than before, 
whether as respects their health, or their physical comfort, or their 
economic condition, or, last of all, their place in the scale of intelli- 
gence and learning. 

"Religion would, under such a system, be the immediate product, 
not of legislation, but of the Christian and philanthropic zeal which 
obtained throughout society at large. But it is well when what legis- 
lation does for the fulfilment of its object tend not to the impediment, 
but rather we apprehend, to the furtherance of these greater and higher 
objects which are in the contemplation of those whose desires are 
chiefly set on the immortal well being of man." 



Extract from the " Rise and Progress of National Education," — a let- 
ter to R. Cobden, Esq., M. P., by Richap.d Church. — Secretary of 
the Yorkshire Society for promoting National Education : 1852. 
" In the presence of such authorities (Dr. Hook, Dr. Chalmers, Dr. 
Yaughn, &c ) to argue on the innocuousness of secular instruction, 
though administered alone, seems unnecessary, as in fact, to argue for 
it in the presence of that protestantism which sprang from the revival 
of secular knowledge seems absurd. For the man who admits that, 
in the sixteenth century, the diifusion of the secular knowedge of the 
heathen had the remarkable eiiect of bringing men from what he deems 
a false form of Christianity to a true one, admits at the same time that 
there is something in secular knowledge which renders it an efficient 
test of religious truth. But now, if he will not permit it to act alone, 
if he insists on bindiog it by foregone conclusions, and forcibly linking 
it to certain religious views, the presumption must be that he treats it 



199 

in this way for the express purpose of preventing its being such a test. 
How far such a suspicion is creditable to him or advantagious to his 
religion, I leave him to decide." 



Extract from " The Natural History of Society," by W. C. Taylor, 
LL. D , of Trinity College, Dublin. 
" lu a great many schools, notwithstanding modern improvements, 
children are still taught that heaven is a definite locality above their 
heads, and hell an equally definite place under their feet. These ab- 
surd notions are engrafted on the interpretation of the Bible, and are 
consequently given and received as articles of faith. When the per- 
sons thus instructed acquire even an elementary knowledge of geogra- 
phy and astronomy, they discover the utter folly of such notions ; but 
too often they believe that the absurdity esists in the Bible, and not in 
the presumption of ignorant teachers. This is one of the most common 
causes of infidelity among the half-educated, and its influence is far 
more extensive than is generally imagined, "With some sad proofs of 
the mischief thus produced immediately before our eyes, we reny be 
permitted to question the prudence of making the Bible a school book, 
at least until school-masters and mistresses are better qualified to ex- 
plain its peculiar phraseology than they are at present." — Vol. 1. p. 
304— Note. 



Extract from a pamphlet on Popular Education in England, by Ro- 
bert Vaughan, D. D. 
'• I have a very humble opinion of the direct religious teachings which 
is given in day schools, or that ever can be given in such institutions. 
Nor do I speak without experience on this subject. I have served 
more than one apprenticeship in the superintendence of schools on the 
Britisli system, and the great benefit of such schools, I have always 
found to consist, not in any direct religious impression produced by 
them, but in their adaptation to prepare the young for receiving reli- 
gious instruction with advantage elsewhere." 



Extracts from a Preliminary Dissertation by J. P. Nicoll, LL. D., 
Professor in Glasgow University, prefixed to Willm's Treatise on 
Education. 

"Turning from Morality to those other classes of human faculties 
which Education ought to develop, we discern without difficulty, that, 
from all special sectarian questions, they are much farther removed. 
The chief of them is the L\TELL'r:cT, guiding us towards a view of the 
order and grandeur of Material Nature : and surely it requires no re- 
search, to establish that its functions, in this inquiry, are wholly inde- 
pendent. By its inductive and deductive processes, the laws of whicli 



200 

are abstract, and perfectly definite, the human intellect group the 
forms and events around it, according to their similitudes ; and hav- 
ing, hy well selected or critical instunces, ascended to some compre- 
hensive principle, it uses it to unwind all other complicacy and seeming 
confusion, and thus descries the simplicity and perfection of iS'ature. 
Religion in^lced — even in its most comprehensive expression — can have 
no part or share in processes like these ; but I am persuaded, never- 
theless, that no parent could desire that his child be conducted through 
the halls of this gorgeous palace, as if it had no King ; or discern, in 
the play of these mighty Energies, only the clank of an inert mechan- 
ism — the movements of the arm of a giant Necessity possessing all 
the Universe. At once then I repudiate the idea of a banishment of 
the Religious sentiments from connection with our contemplations of 
Nature ; and, in the earnestness with which I do so, I recognise only 
the repetition of a sentiment influencing my countrymen at large : but 
this feeling, however sound and strong, does not, when duly interpre- 
ted, in any wise require us to reject the clear and inestimable benefits 
of a united Education. The question, be it remembered, is — not 
about separating the training of the intellect from training in religion 
— but hoiv far are we precluded, by respect due to tlie discrepancies 
of sects, from accompanying the training of the intellect, in a common 
school, with all the aids and illustration it might receive from its con- 
nection with man's religious nature ?* Now, there are only two points 
in reference to which it is possible to conjoin the Religious sentiments 
with the survey of the Material Universe, assuredly they are sufficienly 
remote from relationship with the matters concerning which our 
churches are divided. 1]\e first is, the existence of design in the Uni- 
verse — which would present Deity as the intelligent Final Cause of 
all that exists. This view of the First rnndph is as old at least as 
the time of the Stagyuite : and every scholar Icuows, how thoroughly 
the entire inquiries of that great man were impregnated with it as a 
living and effective belief It were of course only trifling with time to 
prove elaborately that this subject, and everything connected with it, is 
altogether apart from religious controversy. The second point, indeed, 
has profounder relations ; but still, it is only the Theodicy of Plato. 
It is the view which presents G-on as a Providence; which discerns 
the energies of Nature as his ministers ; nay. which as its culmination, 
recognises in the Material World no energy or activity save His — the 
omnipresence of a Spirit whose distinguishing characteristic is Life. 
So long as the individuality or independent freedom and responsibi- 



*An influential Eeligious Body in Scotland lias arrived at the conclusion that 
Reading cannot be taught M'ithout involving Religion.s differences, and therefore 
they have asked Government to endow no Schools in which Reading is tnnght! 
There is such a thing in Experimental philosophy as :in Expfrimentmn cruets ; in 
Mathematics we have the reductio ad absurdtnn. Surely the result arrived at here, 
should indicate to sensible minds that a great error must have been committed — if 
not in logic — at least in the right interpretation of fundamental principles: it looks 
very like as if we had got amongst the unnatural although cminentlj' logical fanta- 
sies of some modern Ptolmaic System. I appeal confidently to the good sense of 
my countrymen, against this most extraordinary, and extravagant — but withal most 
useful — determination of a most powerful and learned Ecclesiastical Body. 



201 

lity of the Moral Conscience is preserved — without which it degene- 
rates into some form of Pantheism and attendant Fatalism — this view 
of Providence leads us to the personal Jehovah ; and the anthem of 
Nature is the same as that of the noblest of our inspired Bards ; but 
surely it too is entirely removed from the matter of sectarian disputes : 
■ — nay, it is only because we have so deep and broad a foundation of 
universal Truth, that there is a possibility of there being ^Secta at all. 
The relation indeed, of the march of external Nature with the plans and 
agency of Deity, rather belong to what may be termed the Religious 
Philosophy of the time. They are the forms into which the prevalent 
philosophv directs the reliizious scntwients ; and, at a period in which 
Materialism is unfashionable, or rather scarce!}'- recognised as a possi- 
ble exponent of the Universe ; they, or something equivalent, will 
arise in every mind of natural Piety. I fear we only weaken the 
chance of such Piety flowing out freely and sincerely in that direction, 
when, unnecessarily, we mix it up with minute causes of divergence. 

" One practical result of these views seems eminently important. 
Moved by anxiety that a religious spirit shall pervade all teaching, 
— or, in other words, that this important part of Man's nature shall in 
no wise be repressed or held in abeyance, — the Founders of many of 
our Educational Institutions (among others, of the Scottish Universi- 
ties) have sought to secure fitting dispositions in the Instructor, by 
demanding that, previous to his induction in office, he subscribe the 
special articles of a Church. Now, in many cases, this subscription 
may be defensible on other grounds; it may, for instance, form part 
of a general ecclesiastical system ; in this place, however, I simply de- 
sire to examine the propriety and efficacy of the practice, in relation 
to the foregoing special end ; and, considered exclusively in this re- 
spect, I can see no barrier to our immediate and direct condemnation 
of all such usages It would seem to follow at once from our previous 
discussions, that the power of treating even the science of Morals, reli- 
giously, has nothing to do with the considerations which may guide 
the teacher's choice among the Churches of these lands ; and, assur- 
edly, it is still more manifest that the relations between our religious 
sentiments and the results of the Physical Sciences, are altogether re- 
mote from the questions about which sects usually differ. There is, 
however, a further consideration entitled to great weight in this mat- 
ter. I have said, that, to secure that the teacher be a religiousl}'^ dis- 
posed man, it is unnecessary to descend among these disputed details: 
but it is oven more than unnecessary ; such subscriptions are wholly 
unfitted to realise that object. The quality of mind desired, be it recol- 
lected, is what a powerful English Journal — the Quarterly Rcvietv — 
has well named Religiousness : while these articles are mere formu- 
las, expressing certain views of the logical relations existing between 
metaphysical and religious ideas. The religiousness of a man's nature 
consists in the clearness icilh tchich he apprelievds these ideas thei7i- 
selves ; in the depth, in short, to which they have penetrated among 
his sentiments and affections : but the most acute and skilful discus- 
sions may be conducted, with regard to their logical rela.tions. by per- 
son.s who have only the slightest apprehension of them, and over whom, 



202 

pi'actically, as efficient principles of life and action, they have compar- 
atively little power. A man, in short, may be a thoroughly religious 
man, who, either from inattention to the subject, or a deficiency of the 
logical powers, has no interest in sets of articles ; and, on the other 
hand, that anomaly is easily explained which presents us so frequently 
Vfith high and severe Churchmen — stern and rigid supporters of sys- 
tems of Articles, and other dogmatic forms — who exhibit withal only 
very slight susceptibility in respect of religious impressiotis. There 
is not, as is commonly supposed, any liypocrisy in this state of mind. 
It is a real, and not an assumed or pretended state — arising in the 
activity of the logical faculties, and the comparative interests of the 
powers of contemplation ; and it has an exact counterpart in a pheno- 
menon already referred to, connected with the cultivation of physical 
science. Men, as I previously stated, are far from uncommon, who, 
while enjoying the greatest pleasure in the analytic representation and 
development of assumed Physical Laws, have yet but imperfect powers 
to sift thoroughly the physical facts on which alone laws can be found- 
ed ; and, in the same manner, it is quite possible that a mind have 
much interest in the process and the investigations of systematic, or, 
rather, of dogmatic theology, without a corresponding power to de- 
scend into the far profounder region of the Intuitions. If we want 
KELiGioN, then, let us correct this serious mistake. It is indeed a mis- 
take most serious, and it would have driven, from the service of the 
Universities of Scotland, men to whom they have often owed the pre- 
servation and extension of their repute, had not the evil been averted 
by a usual consequence of the existence of laws practically inapplicable 
to their object, viz : a systematical breach of the formal obligation, 
through the general consent that it be regarded as a dead letter. But 
this corrective — however otherwise welcome-— involves the hazard of 
lamentably weakening some of the most important sanctions of moral- 
ity."* 

" A point of infinitely greater moment remains to be discussed. — 
Hoiv far ought our religious variations to interfere ivith tlie common 
or united Education of the young, even in matters expressly Religious? 
It is of essential importance that we discuss this subject not as Secta- 
rians, but as Christian men. Can it be possible, then, surrounded as 
we are by the noblest examples of wortli and piety, limited to no 
church, confined with no special creed, — can it be possible to evade the 
conclusion, that perhaps the most important elements of the Christian 
life, are, after all, those grand sanctions which, for the most part, lie, 
below our sectarian differences 1 How far, let me be permitted to ask 



*The considerations in the text seem to me quite adequate to establish the entire 
inutility or inapplicability of our existing tests in Scotland; but they go much farther 
— they show the necessary erroneousness of any Positive Tests whatsoever. Unless 
where purely dogmatic Theological teaching is concerned, what we want is, reli- 
gious dispositions or susceptibilities; character indeed, and not opinion. The for- 
mer, it is evident, cannot be assured by the mere assent of the reasoning powers to 
any set of systematic articles : its existence or non-existence, its strength or weak- 
ness, will 1)0 indicated only as other points of men's character are indicated : and 
the Authority wiiich has the power of selecting the Instructor, need never be at any 
loss in reaching a conclusion on the subject. 



203 

would these specialities of oui* separate cburches, interfere witli our 
efforts to bring the young mind into submission to the wholly unme- 
taphysical teaching of Chiust? Nay, to look deeper into the subject : 
— wiiatis the ultimate aim of all sects? what the object of their appa- 
ratus of creeds and worships 1 Is it not, in so far as teaching is con- 
cerned, to reconcile the Mercy of the Almighty with our ideas of his 
Holiness 1 Is it not to present him as Infinitely pure — hateful of 
sin, and yet the merciful Father of the repentant wanderer? If any 
sectarian scheme whatsoever, has reached, as its final result, conclu- 
sions — I don't say at variance with— -but loftier in any sense, tlian the 
lesson in our Lord's tale of the Prodigal — I confess they are unknown 
to me ; and I earnestly appeal to those to whom the young generation 
is the dearest — to those conscientious parents who are thinking solely 
of their children's welfare, why these children might not be taught in 
common, that exquisite representation of our relations with a Holy 
and Merciful God 1 It is true, this is not the whole of the scheme of 
Christianity. It is, besides, a most profound philosophical or meta- 
physical system, and as such it is represented in our Articles ; but 
assuredly, our distinct duty to the child is. in the first place, to draw 
out his religious sentiments — -to familiarise him with t\xo&Q grand initci- 
tions on which that system rests ; and certainly by no means to substi- 
tute, a purely dogmatic teaching. We are verging, perhaps, on too 
logical an age. The unresting energies around us — that excessive 
bustle of modern life — conduce to intellectual activity^ but they are 
adverse to the sentence of contemplation ; and I should say, therefore, 
that it is a formal duty with the Churches, acting for the highest in- 
terests of culture in our times — to address themselves powerfully to 
the development of the Intuitions — in other words, to the inculcation 
of religion on the young mind, by that best method of the Gospels. 
It is right, indeed, that teaching should proceed farther than this. 
Just as in the case of Morals, when the scholar's intellect is ripe 
enough, he should be led into contact with those diflficulties and con- 
tests whose record occupies the pages of Ecclesiastical Histories ; and 
probably one good manner of presenting a view of these is by the form 
of Catechisms. But the teaching of Catechisms — in this view of the 
subject — must clearly belong to ihe category of special instruction ; 
and therefore may be studied apart."* 



Extracts from the " Education of the People," by J. Willm, Inspector 
of the Academy of Strasburg. France. 
'' I shall state, elsewhere, what this instruztion. ought to be, and 
what this initiation supposes ; lueanwhile I only remark, that religious 



* The importance of clogmatic teaching needs no further illustration, than the fact, 
that the construction of Christianity into a consummate philosophical .s,ystem, occu- 
pied the life and unparalleled energies of St. Paul; but assuredly no one M-ouId 
commit the error of attempting to immerse the mind of a cliild amongst the arduous 
Epistles of the great Apostle, to the neglect of the universal method of Christ? — 
Now, it is in the varied interpretation of St. Paul's views, that we find the principal 
source of sectarian discordamces. 



204 

instructdon can only be given with effect when the children have been 
prepared by religious education ; and that it ought to have no other 
end than the completion of this education, lleligion is at once senti- 
inent., worship, and science ; and it has value as science only in so far 
as it is founded on sentiment, and may be expressed by loorslnp. Wor- 
ship itself is only of value when in connection with sentiment and 
knowledge. Without instruction, the religious sentiment is blind and 
without capacity, and worship is a worthless form ; but. without senti- 
ment, instruction falls upon a sterile soil, and produces no fruit. Above 
ail, then, we must apply ourselves to forming and developing the sen- 
timent or religious spirit, which is, at once, the fear of God, respect, 
adoration, and love ; therefore, it involves, resignation to the decrees 
of Providence, .self-denial, humility, charity, devotion to religious study 
as the expression of the Divine will — a devotion rendered easy by trust 
in Grod, and by the hope of another and better life. 

Such ought to be the object of religious education, without which 
instruction is powerless as such. To realise it, we must give the child 
the knowledge of the high dignity of man, of his noble origin, of his 
immortal destiny, and of his misery, his weakness, and his frailty ; we 
must fill his soul with the fear and love of God, and elevate his mind 
by sublime ideas of the Infinite, the Eternal, and the Absolute. In- 
struction will then have an easy task ; and whatever revolutions the 
minds of the pupils may undergo when they become men, their reli- 
gious convictions will remain unshaken as sentiments, and their inward 
faith resist the doubts which may try it. Their religious belief may 
be modified, it may be even overturned ; but they will believe in their 
heart, although unbelief may take possession of ther intellect — if unbe- 
lief as to os.sential doctrines could possibly gain an entrance into minds 
thus prepared." 



Opinion of Dr. Hook, Vicar of Leeds, Eng., quoted from a pamphlet 

by Bai.mes. 
" It is abundantly clear that the State cannot give a religious edu- 
cation, as the word religion is understood by unsophisticated minds. 
* * * * Upon investigating the subject, we find that a notion 
prevails among careless people that religion may be treated as either 
general or special : special religion is doctrinal, and general religion 
is some system of morals, which being divested of all doctrine, looks 
so like no religion at all, that religious persons at once perceive, that 
when people talk of an education based on such a religion, tiiey seek 
to deceive themselves as well as us, and utter a falsehood. Now, all 
really Christian persons must stand opposed to any system of educa- 
tion, which being professedly based upon this general religion, which 
is no religion, will in fact unchristianize this country. To separate 
the morality of the gospel from the doctrines of the gospel, every one 
who knows what the gospel is. knows to be impossible. * * * * 
Satan could desire no scheme for the extirpation of Christianity more 
crafty or more sure than this, which would substitute a system of mor- 
als for reliijion." 



205 

Extract from the Westminster Keview for July, 1853, iu Jinswer to 
the charge of the schools being Godless. 

" Godless has both a negative and a positive signification, and the 
artful writer can easily use it in one sense, so as to satisfy and cheat 
his own conscience, while he intends that his readers shall swallow it in 
the other. An academy that teaches writing and cyphering without 
regard to any other branches of learning, moral or intellectual, may in 
a certain sense be called '• godless," just as a tavern bill may be called 
"godless" because in addition to its various items, it does not contain 
a form for grace before or after meat. Precisely in this sense, which 
conveys no reprehension whatever, may a secular system be called 
'' godless," and the sectarian demagogue who employs the word is to a 
certain extent correct. But he knows very well that his hearers will 
supply the other active meaning of ' impious,' ' anti-religious,' and so 
forth," &c., &c. 



Extract from Twelfth Report on Schools in Massachusetts by Ho- 

EACE Mann. 

Religious Educatioii. 

But, it will be said that this grand result, in Practical Morals, is a 
consummation of blessedness that can never be attained without Reli- 
gion ; and that no community will ever be religious, without a Religious 
Education. Both these propositions, I regard as eternal and immu- 
table truths. Devoid of religious principles and religious affections, 
the race can never fall so low but that it may sink still lower ; anima- 
ted and sanctified by them, it can never rise so high but that it may 
ascend still higher. And is it not at least as presumptuous to expect 
that mankind will attain to the knowledge of truth, without being 
instructed in truth, and without that general expansion and develop- 
ment of faculty which will enable them to recognize and comprehend 
truth, in any other department of human interest, as in the depart- 
ment of religion ? No creature of God, of whom we have any know- 
ledge, has such a range of moral oscillation as a human being. He 
may despise privileges, and turn a deaf ear to warnings and instruc- 
tions, such as evil spirits may never have known, and therefore be more 
guilty than they ; or. ascending through temptation and conflict, along 
the radiant pathway of duty, he may reach the sublimest heights of 
happiness, and may there experience the joys of a contrast, such as 
ever-perfect beings can never feel. And can it be that our nature, in 
this respect, is taken out of the law that governs it in every other re- 
spect ; — the law, namely, that the teachings which supply it with new 
views, and the training that leads it to act in conformity with those 
views, are ineffective and nugatory ? 

Indeed, the whole frame and constitution of the human soul show, 
t^i.at if man be not a religious being, he is among the most deformed 
and monstrous of all possible existences. His propensities and pas- 
27 



206 

sions need the fear of God, as a restraint from evil ; and his senti- 
ments and affections need the love of God, as a condition and prelim- 
inary to every thing worthy of the name of happiness. Without a 
capability or susceptibility, therefore, of knowing and reverencing his 
Maker and Preserver, his whole nature is a contradiction and a sole- 
cism ; it is a moral absurdity, — as strictly so, as a triangle with but 
two sides, or a circle without a circumference, is a mathematical absur- 
dity. The man, indeed, of whatever denomination, or kindred, or 
tongue, he may be, who believes that the human race, or any nation, 
or any individual in it, can attain to happiness, or avoid misery, with- 
out religious principle and religious affections, must be ignorant of the 
capacities of the human soul, and of the highest attributes in the nature 
of man. We know, from the very structure and functions of our phy- 
sical organization, that all the delights of the appetites and of the 
grosser instincts are evanescent and perishing. All bodily pleasures 
over-indulged, become pains. Abstemiousness is the stern condition 
of prolonged enjoyment, — a condition that balks desire at the very 
moment when it is most craving. Did the fields teem, and the forests 
bend, and the streams flow, with the most exquisite delicacies, how 
small the proportion of our time in which we could luxuriate in their 
sweets, without satiety and disgust ! Unchased by temperance, the 
richest earthly banquets stimulate, only to end in loathing. Perpe- 
tual self-restraint, on the one side, or intolerable pains, on the other, 
is the law of all our animal desires ; and it may well be questioned, 
which are the sharper suffering.s, — the fiercest pangs of hunger and of 
thirst, or the agonizing diseases that form the fearful retinue of 
epicurism and Bacchanalian indulgence. Were the pleasures of sense 
the only pleasures we could enjoy, immortality might well be scof- 
fed at as worthless, and annihilation welcomed ; for, if another Eden 
were created around us, filled with all that could gratify the appetite 
or regale the sense, and were the whole range and command of 
its embowering shades and clustering fruits bestowed upon us, still, 
with our present natures, we should feel intellectual longings, which 
not all the objects of sight and of sense could appease ; and luxuries 
would sate the palate, and beauties pall upon the eye, in the absence 
of objects to quicken and stimulate the sterner energies of the mind. 
The delights of the intellect are of a far nobler order than those of 
the senses ; but even these have no power to fill up the capacities of 
an immortal mind. The strongest intellect tires. It cannot sustain 
an ever-upward wing. Even in minds of Olympian vastness and vigor, 
there must be seasons for relaxation and repose ; — intervals, when the 
wearied faculties, mounted upon the topmost of all their achievements, 
must stop in their ascending career, to review the distance they have 
traversed, and to replenish their energies for an onward flight. And, 
although, in the far-off cycles of eternity, the stature of the intellect 
should become lofty as an archangel's ; although its powers of compre- 
hension should become so vast, and its intuitions so penetrating, that 
it could learn the history of a planet in a day, and master, at a'single 
lesson, all the sciences that belong to a system of stars ;gstill, I repeat, 
that, with our present nature, we should be conscious of faculties unoc- 



207 

cupied, aud restless, yea, tormented Avith a sense of privation and loss, 
— like lungs in a vacuum gasping vainly for breath, or like the eye in 
darkness straining to catch some glimmering of light. Without sym- 
pathy, without spiritual companionship with other beings, without 
some Being, all-glorious in his perfections, whom the spirit could 
commune with and adore, it would be a mourner and a wanderer amid 
all the splendors of the universe. Through the lone realms of immen- 
sity would it fly, calling for love, as a mother calls for her departed 
first-born, but its voice would return to it in echoes of mockery. Nay, 
though the intellect of man should become as effulgent as the stars 
amid which he might walk, yet sympathetic and devout affections alone 
can fertilize the desolations of the heart. Love is as necessary to the 
human heart as knowledge is to the mind ; and infinite knowledge can 
never supply the place of infinite good. The universe, grand, glorious, 
and beautiful as it is, can be truly enjoyed only through the worship 
as well as the knowledge of the great being that created it. Among 
people, where there is no true knowledge of God, the errors, super- 
stitions, and sufferings of a false religion, always rush in to fill the 
vacuum. 

There is not a faculty nor a susceptibility in the nature of man, 
from the lightning-like intuitions that make him akin to the cherubim, 
or the fire and fervor of affection that assimilate him to seraphic 
beings, down to the lowest appetites and desires by which he holds 
brotherhood with beast and reptile and worm ; — there is not one of 
them all, that will ever be governed by its proper law, or enjoy a full 
measure of the gratification it was adapted to feel, without a know- 
ledge of the true God, without a sense of acting in harmony with His 
will; and without spontaneous effusions of gratitude for His goodness. 
Convictions and sentiments, such as these, can alone supply the vacu- 
ity in the soul of man, aud fill with insignificance and loveliness what 
would otherwise be a blank and hollow universe. 

How limited and meagre, too, would be the knowledge which should 
know all things else, but still be ignorant of the self-existent Author 
of all ! What is the exquisite beauty of flowers, of foliage, or of plum- 
age, if we know nothing of the Great Limner who has painted them, 
aud blended their colors with such marvellous skill? So the profun- 
dity of all science is shallowness, if we know nothing of the Eternal 
Mind that projected all sciences, and made their laws so exact and 
harmonious, that all the objects in an immensity can move onward 
throughout an eternity, without deviation or error. Even the visible 
architecture of the heavens, majestic and refulgent as it is, dwindles 
and glooms into littleness and darkness, in the presence of tke Great 
Builder, who "of old laid the foundatioa of the earth," and " meted 
out heaven with a span." Among all the objects of knowledge, the 
Author of knowledge is infinitely the greatest ; and the microscopic 
animalcule, which, by a life of perseverence, has circumnavigated a 
drop of water, or the tiny insect which has toiled and climbed, until it 
has at last reached the highest peak of a grain of sand, knows propor- 
tionately more of the height and depth and compass of planetary 
spaces, than the philosopher who has circuited all other knowledge, 



208 

but is still ignorant of Grod. In the acquisition of whatever art, or in 
the pursuit of whatever science, there is a painful sense of incomplete- 
ness and imperfection, while we remain untaught in any great depart- 
ment known to belong to it. And so, in the development and culture 
of the human soul, we are conscious not merely of tlie want of sym- 
metry, but of gross disfigurement and mutilation, when the noblest 
and most enduring part of an appropriate development and culture is 
wanting. In merely an artistic point of view, to be presented with 
the torso of Hercules, or with the truncated body of Minerva, when 
we were expecting to behold the fulness of their majestic proportions, 
would be less painful and shocking, than a system of human culture 
from which religious culture should be omitted. 

So, too, if the subject be viewed in relation to all the purer and lof- 
tier afi'ectious and susceptibilities of the human soul, the results are 
the same. If, in surveying the highest states of perfection which the 
character of man has ever yet reached upon earth, we select, from 
among the whole circle of our personal or historical acquaintances, 
those who are adorned with the purest quality and the greatest num- 
ber of excellencies, as the objects of our most joyful admiration and 
love ; why should not the soul be lifted into sublimer existences, and 
into raptures proportionably more exalted and enduring, if it could be 
raised to the contemplation of Him, whose " name alone is excellent?" 
If we delight in exhibitions of power, why should we pass heedlessly by 
the All-powerful ? If human hearts are touched with deeds of mercy, 
there is One whose tender mercies are over all His works. If we re- 
verse wisdom, there is such perfect wisdom on high, that that of angels 
becomes " folly" in its presence. If we love the sentiment of love, 
has not the Apostle told us that God is Love ? There are many en- 
dearing objects upon earth from which the heart of man may he sun- 
dered ; but he only is bereaved of all things who is bereaveJ of his 
Father in heaven. 

I here place the argument, in favor of religious education for the 
young, upon the most broad and general grounds ; purposly leaving it 
to every individual to add, for himself, those auxiliary arguments 
which may result from his own peculiar views of religious truth. But 
such is the force of the conviction to which my own mind is brought by 
these general considerations, that I could not avoid regarding the man, 
who should oppose the religious education of the young, as an insane 
man ; and were it proposed to debate the question between us, I should 
desire to restore him to his reason, before entering upon the discussion. 
If, suddenly summoned to eternity, I were able to give but one parting 
word of advice to my own children, or to the children of others ; — if I 
were sinking beneath the wave, and had time to utter but one articu- 
late breath, or were wasting away upon the death-bed, and had strength 
to make but one exhortation more, — that dying legacy should be, " Re- 
member thy Creator in the days of thy youth." 

I can, then, confess myself second to no one in the depth and sin- 
cerity of my convictions and desires, respecting the necessity and 
universality, both on abstract and on practical grounds, of a religious 
education for the young ; and if I had stronger words at command, in 



209 

whicli to embody these views, I would not fail to use them. But the 
question still remaius, How shall so momentous an object be pursued ? 
In the measures we adopt to give a religious education to others, shall 
we ourselves abide by the dictates of religion ; or shall we do, as has 
almost universally been done, ever since the unhallowed union between 
church and state, under Constantino, — shall we seek to educate the 
community religiously, through the use of the most irreligious means ? 

On this subject, I propose to speak with freedom and plainness, and 
more at length than I should feel required to do, but from the pecu- 
liar circumstances in which I have been placed. It is matter of noto- 
riety, that the views of the Board of Education, — and my own, perhaps 
still more than those of the Board, — on the subject of religious instruc- 
tion in our Public Schools, have been subjected to animadversion. — 
Grave charges have been made against us, that our purpose was to 
exclude religion ; and to exclude that, too, which is the common expo- 
nent of religion, — the Bible, — from the Common schools of the State; 
or, at least, to derogate from its authority, and destroy its iuiluence in 
them. Whatever prevalence a suspicion of the truth of these imputa- 
tions may have heretofore had, I have reason to believe that further 
inquiry and examination have done much to disabuse the too credu- 
lous recipients of so groundless a charge. Still, amongst a people so 
commendably sensitive ou the subject of religion, as are the people of 
Massachusetts, any suspicion of irreligious tendencies, will greatly 
prejudice any cause, and, so far as any cause may otherwise have the 
power of doing good, will greatly impair that power. 

It is known, too, that our noble system of Free Schools for the 
whole people, is strenuously opposed ; — by a few persons in our own 
State and by no inconsiderable numbers in some of the other states of 
this Union ; — and that a rival system of " Parochial" or '• Sectarian 
Schools," is now urged upon the public by a numerous, a powerful, and 
a well-organized body of men. It has pleased the advocates of this 
rival system, in various public addresses, in reports, and through peri- 
odicals devoted to their cause, to denounce our system as irreligious 
and anti-Christian. They do not trouble themselves to describe what 
our system is, but adopt a more summary way to forestall public opin- 
ion against it, by using general epithets of reproach, and signals of 
alarm. 

In this age of the world, it seems to me that no student of history, 
or observer of mankind, can be hostile to the precepts and the doc- 
trines of the Christian religion, or opposed to any institutions which 
expound and exemplify them ; and no man who thinks, as I can not but 
think, respecting the enduring elements of character, whether public 
or private, can be willing to have his name mentioned while he is living, 
or remembered when he is dead, as opposed to religious instruction, 
and Bible instruction for the young. In making this final lleport, 
therefore, I desire to vindicate my conduct from the charges that have 
been made against it ; and, so far as the Board has been implicated 
in these charges, to leave my testimony on record for their exculpa- 
tion. Indeed, on this point, the Board and myself must be justified 
or condemened together ; for I do not believe they would have enabled 



210 

me, by their annual reelections, to carry forward any plan for exclud- 
ing either the Bible or religious instruction from the schools ; and 
had the Board required me to execute such a purpose, I certainly 
should have given them the earliest opportunity to appoint my suc- 
cessor. I desire, also, to vindicate the system with which I have been 
so long and so intimately connected, not only from the aspersion, but 
from the suspicion, of being an irreligious, or anti-Christian, or an un- 
christian system. I know, full well, that it is unlike the systems 
which prevail in Great Britain, and in many of the continental nations 
of Europe, where the Established Church controls the education of the 
young, in order to keep itself established. But this is presumptive 
evidence in its favor, rather than against it. 

All the schemes ever devised by governments, to secure the preva- 
lence and permanence of religion among the people, however variant 
in form they may have been, are substantially resolvable into two sys- 
tems. One of these systems holds the regulation and control of the 
religious belief of the people to be one of the functions of government, 
like the command of the army or the navy, or the establishment of 
courts, or the collection of revenues. According to the other system, 
religious belief is a matter of individual and parental concern; and, 
while the government furnishes all practicable facilities for the inde- 
pendent formation of that belief, it exercises no authority to prescribe, 
or coercion to enforce it. The former is the system, which, with very 
few exceptions, has prevailed throughout Christendom, for fifteen hun- 
dred years. Our own government is almost a solitary example among 
the nations of the earth, where freedom of opinion, and the inviolabi- 
lity of conscience, have been even theoretically recognized by the law. 

The argument in behalf of a government-established religion, at the 
time when it was first used, was not without its plausibilty ; but the 
principle, once admitted, drew after it a train of the most appalling 
consequences. If religion is absolutely essential to the stability of the 
State, as well as to the present and future happiness of the subject ; 
why, it was naturally asked, should not the government enforce it ? 
And, if government is to enforce religion, it follows, as a necessary 
consequence, that it must define it 1 — for how can it enforce a duty 
which, being undefined, is uncertain 1 And, again, if government be- 
gins to define religion, it must define what it is not, as well as what 
it is ; and while it upholds whatever is included in the definition, it 
must suppress and abolish whatever is excluded from it. The defini- 
tion, too, must keep pace with speculation, and must take cognizance 
of all outward forms and observances ; for, if speculation is allowed to 
run riot, and ceremonies and observances to spring up unrestrained, 
religion will soon elude control, emerge into new forms, and exercise, 
if it does not arrogate, a substantial independence. Both in regard 
to matters of form and of substance, all recusancy must be subdued, 
either by deprivation of civil rights, or by positive inflictions ; for the 
laws of man, not possessing, like the laws of God, a self-executing 
power, must be accompanied by some effective sanction, or they will 
not be obeyed. If a light penalty proves inadequate, a heavier one 
must follow, — the loss of civil privileges by disfranchisement, or of 



211 

religious hopes by excommunication. If the non-conformist feels him- 
self, by the aid of a higher power, to be secure against threats of future 
perdition, the civil magistrate has terrible resources at command, in 
this life, — imprisonment, scourging, the rack, the fagot, death. Should 
it ever be said that these are excessive punishments for exercising free- 
dom of thought, and for allowing the heart to pour forth those senti- 
ments of adoration to God, with which it believes God himself has 
inspired it ? — the answer is always ready, that nothing is so terrible as 
the heresy that draws after it the endless wrath of the Omnipotent ; 
and, therefore, that Smithfield fires, and Inquisitorial tortures, and 
auto-de-fes, and St. Bartholomews, are cheap offerings at the shrine of 
Truth ; — nay, compared with the awful and endless consequences of a 
false faith, they are of less moment than the slightest puncture of a 
nerve. And, assuming the truth of the theory, and the right of the 
government to secure faith by force, it surely would be better, infinitely 
better, that every hill-top should be lighted with the fires of Smithfield, 
and every day in the calendar be^a St. Bartholomew's, than that errors 
so fatal should go un-abolished. 

In the council-hall of the Inquisition at Avignon, there still is, or 
lately was, to be seen, a picture of the good Samaritan painted upon 
the wall. The deed of mercy commemorated by this picture, was 
supposed to be the appropriate emblem of the Inquisitor's work. The 
humanity of pouring oil and wine into the wounds of the bleeding 
wayfarer who had fallen among thieves ; the kindness of dismounting 
from his own beast, and setting the half-dead victim of violence upon 
it; and the generosity of purchasing comfort and restoration for him 
at an inn, were held to be copied and imitated, upon an ampler and 
a nobler scale, by the arrest of the heretic, by the violence that tore 
him from home and friends, and by the excruciating tortures that at 
last wrenched soul and body assunder. The priests who sentenced, 
and the familiars that turned the wheel, or lighted the fagot ; or, with 
red-hot pincers, tore the living flesh from the quivering limbs, were 
but imitators of the good Samaritan, binding up moral wounds, and 
seeking to take a lost traveller to a place of recovery and eternal re- 
pose. So when the news of the massacre of St. Bartholomew's, — on 
which occasion, thirty thousand men, women, and children, were 
butchered at the stroke of a signal-bell, — reached Rome, the Pope 
and his cardinals ordained a Thanksgiving, that all true believers 
might rejoice together at so glorious an event, and that God might be 
honored for the pious hearts that designed and the benevolent hands 
that executed so Christian a deed. And, admitting their premises, 
surely they were right. Could communities, or even individuals, be 
rescued from endless perdition, at the price of a massacre or an auto- 
de-fc, the men who would wield the sword, or kindle the flame, would 
be only nobler Samaritans; and the picture upon the Inquisition 
walls at Avignon would be but an inadequate emblem of their soul- 
saving beneficence. 

But in all the persecutions and oppressions ever committed in the 
name of religion, one point has been unwarrantably assumed ; — name- 
ly, that the faith of their authors was certainh/ and infallibly the 



212 

true faith. With the fewest exceptions, the advocates of all the 
myriad conflicting creeds that have ever been promulgated have held 
substantially the same language: " Our faith we know to be true. — 
For its truth, we have the evidence of our reason and our conscience; 
we have the Word of God in our hands, and we have the Spirit of 
God in our hearts, testifying to its truth."* The answer to this claim 
is almost too obvious to be mentioned. The advocates of hundreds 
and thousands of hostile creeds have placed themselve upon the same 
ground. Each has claimed the same proof from reason and con- 
science, the same external revelation from God, and the same inward 
light of His spirit. But if truth be one, and hence necessarily har- 
monious; if God be its author ; and if the voice of God be not more 
dissonant than the tongues of Babel ; then, at least all but one of the 
different forms of faith ever promulgated by human authority, so far 
as these forms conflict with each other, cannot have emanated from 
the Fountain of all truth. These faiths must have been more or less 
erroneous. The believers in them must have been more or less mista- 
ken. Who, on an impartial survey of the whole, and a recollection 
of the confidence with which each one has been claimed to be infal- 
libly true, shall dare to affirm that any one of them all is a perfect 
transcript of the perfect law, as it exists in the Divine Mind, and 
that that one is his ? 

But here arises a practical distinction, which the world has lost 
sight of It is this ; After seeking all possible light from within, from 
without, and from above, each man's belief is his own standard of 
truth; but it is not the standard for any other man. The believer is 
bound to live by his belief under all circumstances, in the face of 
all perils, and at the cost of any sacrifice. But his standard of truth 
is the standard for himself alone ; never for his neighbor. That 
neighbor must have his own standard, which to him must be supreme. 
And the fact that each man is bound to follow his own best light and 
guidance is an express negation of any other man's right, and of any 
government's right, of forcible interference. Here is the dividing 
line. On one side, lie personal freedom and the recognition of free- 
dom in others; on the other side, are intolerance, oppression, and all 
the wrongs and Vv'oes of persecution for conscience' sake. The hier- 
archs of the world have generally reversed this rule of duty. They 
have been more rigid in demanding that others should live according 
to their faith, than in living in accordance with it themselves. 

Did the history of mankind show that there has been the most of 
virtue and piety in those nations where religion has been most rigor- 
ously enforced by law, the advocates of ecclesiastical domination 
would have a powerful argument in favor of their measures of coer- 
cion. But the united and universal voice of history, observation, and 
experience, gives the argument to the other side. Nor is this sur- 
prising. Weak and fallible as human reason is, it was too much to 



* Or, as I once heard the same sentiment expressed in the pulpit, from the lips of 
an eminent divine : I am right, and I know 1 am right, and I know I know it." 



2I?5 

expect that any mere man, even though aided by the light of a written 
revehition, would ever futhom the whole counsels of the Omnipotent 
and the Eternal. But the limitations and shortsightedness of men's 
reason did not constitute the only obstacle to their discovery of truth. 
All the passions and perversities of human nature conspired to pre- 
vent so glorious an achievement. The easily-acquired but awful 
power possessed by those who were acknowledged to be the chosen 
expounders of the Divine will, tempted man to set up a false claim 
to be the depositaries of God's purposes towards men, and the selected 
medium of his communication with them ; and to this temptation err- 
ing mortals were fain to yield. Those who were supposed able to 
determine the destiny of the soul in the next world, came easily to 
control opinion, conduct, and fortune, in this. Hence they estab- 
lished themselves as a third power, — a power between the creature 
and the Creator, — not to facilitate the direct communion between 
man and his Maker, but to supersede it. They claimed to carry on 
the intercourse between heaven and earth, as merchants carry on com- 
merce between distant nations, where the parties to the interchange 
never meet each other. The consequence soon was, that this celestial 
commerce degenerated into the basest and most mercenary trafiic. — 
The favors of heaven were bought and sold, like goods in the market- 
place. Robbery purchased pardon and impunity by bribing the judge 
with a portion of the wealth it had plundered. The assassin bought 
permission to murder, and the incendiary to burn. A Price-Current 
of crime was established, in which sins were so graduated, as to meet 
the pecuniary ability of both rich and poor offenders. Licenses to. 
violate the laws of God and man became luxuries, for which custom- 
ers paid according to their several ability. Gold was the representa- 
tive of all virtues as well as of all values. Under such a system, men 
lost their conscience, and women their virtue; for the right to com- 
mit all enormities was purchasable by money, and pardonable by 
grace; save only the guilt of heresy ; and the worst of all heresy con- 
sisted in men's worshipping the God of their fathers according to the 
dictates of their consciences. 

Those religious exercises which consist in a communion of the 
soul with its Father in heaven, have been beautifully compared to 
telegraphic communications between distant friends; where, silent 
as thought, and swift as the lightning, each makes known to the other 
his joys and his desires, his affection and his fidelity, while the busy 
world around may know nought of their sacred communings. But 
as soon as hierarchies obtained control over men, they changed the 
channel of these communications between heaven and earth. An 
ecclesiastical bureau was established; and it was decreed that all the 
telegraphic wires should centre in that; — so that all the communica- 
tions between man and his Maker should be subject to the inspection 
of its chiefs, and carried on through their agency alone. Thus, 
whether the soul had gratitude or repentance to offer to its God, or 
light or forgiveness to receive from on high, the whole intercourse, 
28 



214 

in both directions, must go through the government office, and there 
be subject to take such form ; to be added to or subtracted from, as 
the ministers or managers, in possession of power, might deem to be 
expedient. Considering the nature of man, one may well suppose 
that many of the most precious of the messages were never forward- 
ed ; that others were perverted, or forged ones put in their place ; 
and that, in some instances at least, the reception of fees was the 
main inducement to keep the machinery in operation. 

Among the infinite errors and enormities, resulting from systems 
of religion devised by man, and enforced by the terrors of human 
government, have been those dreadful reactions, which have abjured 
all religion, spurned its obligations, and voted the Deity into non-ex- 
istence. This extreme is, if possible, more fatal than that by which 
it was produced. Between these extremes, philanthropic and godly 
men have sought to find a medium which should avoid both the evils 
of ecclesiastical tyranny, and the greater evils of atheism. And this 
medium has at length been supposed to be found. It is promulgated 
in the great principle, that government should do all that it can to 
facilitate the acquisition of religious truth; but shall leave the de- 
cision of the question, what religious truth is, to the arbitrament, 
without human appeal, of each man's reason and conscience ; — in 
other words, that government shall never, by the infliction of pains 
and penalties, or by the privation of rights or immunities, call such 
decision either into pre-judgment or into review. The formula in 
which the Constitution of Massachusetts expresses it, is in these 
words; "All religious sects and denominations, demeaning them- 
selves peaceably and as good citizens, shall be equally under the pro- 
tection of law; and no subordination of one sect or denomination to 
another shall ever be established by law." 

The great truth recognized and expressed in these few words of 
our Constitution, is one which it has cost centuries of struggle and 
of suffering, and the shedding of rivers of blood, to attain; and he 
who would relinquish or forfeit it, virtually impetrates upon his fel- 
low-men other centuries of suffering and the shedding of other rivers 
of blood. Nor are we yet entirely removed frDm all danger of re- 
lapse. The universal interference of government in matters of relig- 
ion, for so many centuries, has hardened the public mind to its 
usurpations. Men have become tolerant of intolerance; and among 
many nations of Christendom the common idea of Religious Freedom 
is satisfied by an exemption from fine and imprisonment for religious 
belief They have not yet reached the conception of equal privileges 
and franchises for all. Doubtless the time will come when any in- 
terference, either by positive infliction or by legal disability, with 
another man's conscience in religious concernments, so long as he 
molests no one by the exercise of his faith, will be regarded as the 
crowning and supereminent act of guilt which one human being 
can perpetrate against another. But this time is far from having yet 
arrived, and nations, otlierwise equally enlightened, are at very dif- 
ferent distances from this moral goal. The oppressed, on succeeding 



215 

to power, ate prone to become oppressors, in their turn, and to forget, 
as victors, the lessons, which, as victims, they had learned. 

The Colonial, Provincial, and State history of Massachusetts shows 
by what slow degrees the rigor of our own laws was relaxed, as the 
day-star of religious freedom slowly arose after the long, black mid- 
night of the Past. It was not, indeed, until a very recent period, 
that all vestige of legal penalty or coercion was obliterated from our 
statute book, and all sects and denominations were placed upon a 
footing of absolute equality in the eye of the law. Until the ninth 
day of April, 1831, no person, in Massachusetts, was eligible to the 
office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Counsellor, or to that of 
senator or representative, in the General Court, unless he would make 
oath to a belief in the particular form of religion adopted and sanc- 
tioned by the State. And until the eleventh day of November, 1833, 
every citizen was taxable, by the constitution and laws of the State, 
for the support of the Protestant religion, whether he were a Protes- 
tant, a Catholic, or a believer in any other faith. Nor was it until 
the tenth day of March, 1827, (St. 1826, ch. 143, § 7,) that it was 
made unlawful to use the Common Schools of the State as the means 
of proselyting children to a belief in the doctrines of particular sects, 
whether their parents believed in those doctrines or not. 

All know the energetic tendency of men's minds to continue in a 
course to which long habit has accustamed them. The same law is 
as true in regard to institutions administered by bodies of men, as in 
regard to individual minds. The doctrine of momentum, or head- 
way, belongs to metaphysics, as much as to mechanics. A statute 
may be enacted, and may even be executed by the courts, long before 
it is ratified and enforced by public opinion. Within the last few 
years, how many examples of this truth has the cause of temperance 
furnished? And such was the case, in regard to the law of 1827, 
prohibiting sectarian instruction in our Public Schools. It was not 
easy for committees, at once, to withdraw or to exclude the books, 
nor for teachers to renounce the habits, by which this kind of instruc- 
tion had been given. Hence, more than ten years subsequent to the 
passage of that law, at the time when I made my first educational and 
official circuits over the State, I found books in the schools, as strictly 
and exclusively doctrinal as any on the shelves of a theological libra- 
ry. I heard teachers giving oral instruction, as strictly and purely 
doctrinal, as any ever heard from the pulpit, or from the professor's 
chair. And more than this ; I have now in my possession, printed 
directions, given by committee men to teachers, enjoining upon them 
the use of a catechism, in school, which is wholly devoted to an ex- 
position of the doctrines of one of the denominations amongst us. — 
These directions bear date a dozen years subsequent to the prohibi- 
tory law, above referred to. I purposely forbear to intimate what 
doctrine or what denomination was " /awwrcf/," in the language of 
the law, by these means; because I desire to have this statement as 
in)personal as it can be. 

In the first place, then, I believed these proceedings not only to be 



216 

wholly unvvarraiited by law, but to be ia plain contravention of law. 
And, ill the next place, the Legislature has made it the express duty 
of the Secretary, " diligently to apply himself to the object of col- 
lecting information of the condition of the Public Schools, [through- 
out the State,] of the fulfilment of the duties of thsir office by all 
members of the school committees of all the towns, and the circum- 
stances of the several school districts in regard to all the subjects of 
teachers, pupils, books, apparatus, and methods of education," and 
so forth. I believed then, as now, that religious instruction in our 
schools, to the extent which the constitution and laws of the State 
allowed and prescribed, was indispensable to their highest Vv^elfare, 
and essential to the vitality of moral education. Then as now, also, 
I believed that sectarian books, and sectarian instruction, if their en- 
croachments were not resisted, would prove the overthrow of the 
schools. While, on the one hand, therefore, I did deplore, in lan- 
guage as earnest and solemn as I was capable of commanding, the 
insufficiency of moral and religious instruction given in the schools; 
on the other hand, instead of detailing what I believed to be infrac- 
tions of the law, in regard to sectarian instruction, I endeavored to 
set forth what was supposed to be the true meaning and intent of 
the huv. Such a genera! sta.tement of legal limitations and prohibi- 
tions, instead of a specific arraignment of teachers or of committees, 
for disregarding them, I judged to be the milder and more eligible 
course. Less, I could not do, and discharge the duty which the law 
had expressly enjoined upon me. More, I deemed it unadvisable to 
do, lest transgressors should take offence at what thev might deem to 
be an unnecessary personal exposure, and further, I had confidence, 
that when the law itself and the reasons of equity and public policy 
on which it was founded should be better understood, all violations of 
it would cease. Every word of my early reports having any reference 
to this subject, was read in the presence of the Board, on which sat 
able lawyers and distinguished clergymen of different denominations, 
and no word of exception was ever taken to the views there present- 
ed, either on the ground that they were contrary to law, or had any 
sinister or objectionable tendency. 

No person, then, in the whole community, could have been more 
surprised or grieved than n)yself, at finding my views, in regard to the 
extent and limitation of religious instruction in our Public Schools, 
attributed to a hostility to religion itself, or a hostility to the Scrip- 
tures which are the " lively oracles" of the Christian's faith. As 
the Board was implicated with me in these charges, (they never hav- 
ing dissented from my views, and continuing to reelect me annually 
to the office of Secretary,) it is well known to its earlier members, 
that I urged the propriety of their meeting these charges with a pub- 
lic and explicit denial of their truth. In so grave a matter, I did not 
think that a refutation of the calamity would derogate from their dig- 
nity ; but only evince the sensitiveness of their moral feelings, and 
the firmness of their moral principles. Such was the course pursued 
by the Board of Commissioners of Education, in Ireland, composed 



217 

of some of the most pious and elevated dignitaries in both commun- 
ions; and, at whose head, was that most able and venerable prelate, 
Archbishop Whateley. When their conduct was assailed, and their 
motives impugned, because they refused to turn the National Schools 
into engines for pryselyting from one sect to another, they met the 
charges from year to year, in their annual reports; and finally dis- 
comfitted and put to shame their bigoted assailants. 

To my suggestion, in regard to vindicatory measures, the reply was, 
that, as the charges were groundless, they probably would be tempo- 
rary : and that a formal reply to the accusations might bestow an un- 
deserved importance upon the accusers. Were it not that the opinion 
of the Board at that time did not coincide with my own, I should still 
think, that an early, temperate, but decided refutntion, by the Board 
itself, of the charges against them, and against the system adminis- 
tered by them, or under their auspices, would have been greatly pre- 
ventive of evil, and fruitful of good. The preoccupancy of the public 
mind with error, on so important a subject, is an unspeakable calam- 
ity ; and errors that derive their support from religious views, are 
among the most invincible. But different counsels prevailed ; and, 
for several years, in certain quarters, suspicions continued rife. I 
was made to see, and deeply to feel, their disastrous and alienating 
influence, as I travelled about the State; sometimes withdrawing the 
hand of needed assistance, and sometimes, when conduct extorted 
approval, impeaching the motives that prompted it. By no cause, 
not dearer to me than life itself, could I ever have persevered, amid 
the trials and anxieties, and against the obstacles, that beset my path. 
But I felt that there is a profound gratification in standing by a good 
cause, in the hour of its adversity. I believed there must be a deeper 
pleasure in following truth to the scaffold, than in shouting in the ret- 
inue where error triumphs. I felt, too, a religious confidence, that 
truth would ultimately prevail ; and that it was my duty to labor, in 
the spirit of a genuine disciple, who toils on with equal diligence and 
alacrity, whether his cause is to be crowned with success in his own 
life-time, or only at the end of a thousand years. And, as the com- 
plement of all other motives, I felt that a true education Vv'ould be 
among the most efficient of means to prevent the reappearance in 
another generation, of such an aggressive and unscrupulous opposi- 
tion, as the Board and myself wer suffering under in this. 

After years of endurance, after suffering under misconstructions of 
conduct, and the imputation of motives, whose edge is sharper than 
a knife, it was, at my suggestion, and by making use of materials 
which I had laboriously collected, that the Board made its Eighth 
Annual report; — a document said to be the ablest arguii^ent in favor 
of the use of the Bible in Schools, any where to be found. This Re- 
port had my full concurrence. Since its appearance, I have always 
referred to it, as explanatory of the views of the Board, and as setting 
forth the law of a wise Commonwealth and the policy of a Christian 
people. Officially and unofficially, publicly and privately, in theory 
and in practice, my course has always been in conformity with its 



218 

doctrines. And I avail myself of this, the last opportunity which I 
may ever have, to say, in regard to all affirmations or intimations, that 
I have ever attempted to exclude religious instruction from school, or 
to exclude the Bible from school, or to impair the force of that vol- 
ume, arising out of itself, are now, and always have been, without 
substance or semblance of truth. 

But it may still be said, and it is said, that, however sincere, or 
however religiously disposed, the advocates of our school system may 
be, still the character of the system is not to be determined by the 
number, nor by the sincerity of its defenders, but by its own inherent 
attributes; and that, if judged by these attributes, it is, in fact and in 
truth, an irreligious, and un-Christian, and an anti-Christian system. 
Having devoted the best part of my life to the promotion of this sys- 
tem, and believing it to be the only system which ought to prevail, or 
can permanently prevail, in any free country; I am not content to 
see it suffer, unrelieved, beneath the weight of imputations so griev- 
ous ; nor is it right that any hostile system should be built up by so 
gross a misrepresentation of ours. That our Public Schools are not 
Theological Seminaries, is admitted. That they are debarred by law 
from inculcating the peculiar and distinctive doctrines of any one re- 
ligious denomination amongst us, is claimed; and that they are also 
prohibited from ever teaching that what they do teach, is the whole 
of religion, or all that is essential to religion or to salvation, is equally 
certain. But our system earnestly inculcates all Christian morals; it 
founds its morals on the basis of religion ; it welcomes the religion of 
the Bible; and, in receiving the Bible, it allows it to do what it is 
allowed to do in no other systen, — to speak for itself. But here it 
stops, not because it claims to have compassed all truth, but because 
it disclaims to act as an umpire between hostile religious opinions. 

The very terms. Public School, and Common Sc/iool, bear upon 
their face, that they are schools which the children of the entire com- 
munity may attend. Every man, not on the pauper list, is taxed for 
their support. But he is not taxed to support them as special relig- 
ious institutions; if he were, it would satisfy, at once, the largest 
definition of a Religious Establishment. But he is taxed to support 
them, as a preventive means against dishonesty, against fraud, and 
against violence ; on the same principle that he is taxed to support 
criminal courts as a punitive means against the same offences. He is 
taxed to support schools, on the same principle that he is taxed to 
support paupers; because a child without education is poorer and 
more wretched than a man without bread. He is taxed to support 
schools, on the same principle that he would be taxed to defend the 
nation against foreign invasion, or against rapine committed by a for- 
eign foe; because the general prevalencs of ignorance, superstition, 
and vice, will breed Goth and Vandal at home, more fatal to the pub- 
lic well-being, than any GothorVandal from abroad. And, finally, he is 
taxed to support schools, because they are the most effective means of 
developing and training those powers and faculties in a child, by 
which, when he becomes a man, he may understand what his highest 



21<) 

interests and his highest duties are ; and may be, in fact, and not in 
name only, a free agent. The elements of a political education are 
not bestowed upon any school child, for the purpose of making him 
vote with this or that political party, when he becomes of age ; but 
for the purpose of enabling him to choose for himself, with which 
party he will vote. So the religious education which a child receives 
at school, is not imparted to him, for the purpose of making him join 
this or that denomination, when he arrives at years of discretion, but 
for the purpose of enabling him to judge for himself, according to the 
dictates of his own reason and conscience, what his religious obliga- 
tions are, and whither they lead. But if a man is taxed to support a 
school, where religious doctrines are inculcated which he believes to 
be false, and which he believes that God condemns; then he is ex- 
cluded from the school by the Divine law, at the same time that he is 
compelled to support it by the human law. This is a double wrong. 
It is politically wrong, because, if such a man educates his children 
at all, he must educate them elsewhere, and thus pay two taxes, while 
some of his neighbors pay less than their due proportion of one ; and 
it is religiously wrong, because he is constrained, by human power, 
to promote what he believes the Divine Power forbids. The princi- 
ple involved in such a course is pregnant with all tyrannical conse- 
quences. It is broad enough to sustain any claim of ecclesiastical 
domination, ever made in the darkest ages of the world. Every relig- 
ious persecution, since the time of Constantine, may find its warrant 
in it, and can be legitimately defended upon it. If a man's estate 
may be taken from him to pay for teaching a creed which he believes 
to be false, his children can be taken from him to be taught the same 
creed ; and he, too, may be punished to any extent, for not volunta- 
rily surrendering both his estate and his offspring. If his children 
can be compulsorily taken and taught to believe a creed whicli the 
parent disbelieves, then the parent can be compulsorily taken snd 
made to subscribe the same creed. And, in regard to the extent of 
the penalties which may be invoked to compel conformity, there is no 
stopping-place between taking a penny and inflicting perdition. It is 
only necessary to call a man's reason and conscience and religious 
faith, by the name of recusancy, or contumacy, or heresy, and so to 
inscribe them on the statute book; and then the non-conformist or 
dissenter may be subdued by steel, or cord, or fire; by anathema and 
excommunication in this life, and the terrors of endless perdition in 
the next. Surely, that system cannot be an irreligious, an anti- 
Christian, or an un-Christian one, whose first and cardinal principle 
it is, to recognize and protect the highest and dearest of all human 
interests, and of all human rights. 

Again ; it seems almost too clear for exposition, that our system, 
in one nf its most essential features, is not only, not an irreligious one, 
but that it is more strictly religious than any other which has ever yet 
been adopted. Every intelligent man understands what is meant by 
the term "Jurisdiction." It is the rightful authority which one per- 
son, or one body of men, exercises over another person, or persons. 



220 

Every intelligent man understands, that there are some things which 
are within the jurisdiction of government, and other things which are 
not within it. As Americans, we understand that there is a line, di- 
viding the jurisdiction of the State Governments from the jurisdiction 
of the Federal Government; and that it is a violation of the constitu- 
tions of both, for either to invade the legitimate sphere of action 
which belongs to the other. We all understand, that neither any 
State in this Union, nor the TTnion itself, has any right of interference 
between the British sovereign and a British subject, or between the 
French government and a citizen of France. Let this doctrine be 
applied to the relations wtiich our fellow-citizens bear to the rulers 
who have authority over them. Primarily, religious rights embrace 
the relations between the creature and the Creator, just as political 
rights embrace the relations between subject and sovereign, or between 
a free citizen and the government of his choice ; and just as parental 
rights embrace the relation between parent and child. Rights, there- 
fore, which are strictly religious, lie out of, and beyond the jurisdic- 
tion of civil governments. They belong, exclusively, to the jurisdic- 
tion of the Divine government. If, then, the State of Massachusetts 
has no right of forcible interference between an Englishman, or a 
Frenchman, and the English or French government; still less, far 
less has it any right of forcible interference, between the soul of man, 
and the King and Lord to whom that soul owes undivided and supreme 
allegiance. Civil society may exist, or it may cease to exist. Civil 
government may continue for centuries in the hands of the same 
dynasty, or it may change hands, by revolution, with every new moon. 
The man, outcast and outlawed to-day, and to whom, therefore, we 
owe no obedience, may be rightfully installed in office to-morrow, 
and may then require submission to his legitimate authority. The 
civil governor may resign, or be deposed ; the frame-work of the 
government may be changed, or its laws altered ; so that the duty of 
allegiance to a temporal sovereign may have a succession of new ob- 
jects, or a succession of new definitions. But the relation of man to 
his Maker never changes. Its object and its obligations are immuta- 
ble. The jurisdiction which God exercises over the religious obli- 
gations which his rational and accountable oflspring owe to Him, 
excludes human jurisdiction. And, hence it is, that religious rights 
are inalienable rights. Hence, also, it is, that it is an indefinitely 
greater offence to invade the special and exclusive jurisdiction which 
the Creator claims over the consciences and hearts of men, than it 
would be to invade the jurisdiction which any foreign nation right- 
fully possesses over its own subjects or citizens. The latter would be 
only an offence against international law ; the former is treason 
against the majesty of Heaven. The one violates secular and tem- 
poral rights only ; the other violates sacred and eternal ones. When 
the British Government passed its various statutes o\ proimunire, as 
they were called, — statutes to prevent the Roman Pontiff" from inter- 
fereing between the British sovereign and the British subject, — it was 
itself constantly enacting and enforcing laws which interfered be- 



221 

Iween the Sovereign of the universe and His subjects upon earth, far 
more direct!}' and aggressively, than any edict of the Roman See 
ever interfered with any allegiance due from a British subject to the 
self-styled Defender of the Faith. 

It was in consequence of laws that invaded the direct and exclusive 
jurisdiction which our Father in heaven exercises over his children 
upon earth, that the Pilgrims fled from their native land, to that which 
is the land of our nativity. They sought a residence so remote and 
so inaccessible, in the hope that the prerogatives of the Divine Mag- 
istrate might no longer be set at nought by the usurpations of the civil 
power. Was it not an irreligious and an impious act, on the part of 
the British government, to pursue our ancestors with such cruel pen- 
alties and privations, as to drive them into banishment? Was it not 
a religious and a pious act in the Pilgrim Fathers to seek a place of 
refuge, where the arm of earthly power could neither restrain them 
from worshipping God in the manner which they believed to be most 
acceptable to Him. nor command their worship in a manner believed 
to be unacceptable? And if it was irreligious in the British govern- 
ment to violate freedom of conscience in the case of our forefathers, 
two centuries ago, then it is more flagrantly irreligious to repeat the 
oppression, in tliis more enlightened age of the world. If it was a 
religious act in our forefathers to escape from ecclesiastical tyranny, 
then it must be in the strictest conformity to religion for us to abstain 
from all religious oppression over others ; and to oppose it wherever 
it is threatened. And this abstinence from religious oppression, this 
acknowledgement of the rights of others, this explicit recognition and 
avowal of the supreme and exclusive jurisdiction of Heaven, and this 
denial of the right of any earthly power to encroach upon that juris- 
diction, is precisely what the Massachusetts school system purports to 
do in theory, and what it does actually in practice. Hence I infer 
that our system is not an irreligious one, but is in the strictest accord- 
ance with religion and its obligations. 

It is still easier to prove that the Massachusetts school system is 
not anti-Christian nor un-Ghristian. The Bible is the acknowledged 
expositor of Christianity. In strictness, Christianity has no other 
authoritative expounder. This Bible is in our Common Schools, by 
common consent. Twelve years ago, it was not in all the schools. — 
Contrary to the genius of our government, if not contrary to the ex- 
press letter of the law, it had been used for sectarian purposes. — to 
prove one sect to be right, and others to be wrong. Hence, it had 
been excluded from the schools of some towns, by an express vote — 
But since the law and the reasons on which it is founded, have been 
more fully explained and better understood ; and since sectarian in- 
struction has, to a great extent, ceased to be given, the Bible has been 
restored. I am not aware of the existence of a single town in the 
State, in whose schools it is not now introduced, either by a direct 
vote of the school committee, or by such general desire and acquies- 
cence, as supersede the necessity of a vote. In all my intercourse, for 
twelve years, whether personal or by letter, with all the school ofi&cers 

29 



222 

ia the State, and with tens of thousands of individuals in it, I have 
never heard an objection made to the use of the Bible in school, ex- 
cept in one or two instances ; and, in those cases, the objection was put 
upon the ground, that daily familiarity with the book, in school, would 
tend to impair a reverence for it. 

If the Bible, then, is the exponent of Christianity; if the Bible 
contains the communications, precepts, and doctrines, which make up 
the religious system, called and known as Christianity ; if the Bible 
makes known those truths, which, according to the faith of Ciiristiaus, 
are able to make men wise unto salvation: and if this Bible is in the 
schools, how can it be said that Christianity is excluded from the 
schools ; or how can it be said that the school system, which adopts 
and uses the Bible, is an anti-Christian, or an un-Christian system? 
If that which is the acknowledged exponent and basis of Christianity 
is in the schools, by what tergiversation in language, or paralogism in 
logic, can Christianity be said to be shut out from the schools? If 
the Old Testament were in the schools, could a Jew complain, that 
Judaism was excluded from them ? If the Koran were read regular- 
ly and reverently in the schools, could a Mahommedan say that Ma- 
hommedanism was excluded? Or, if the Mormon Bible were in the 
schools, could it be said that Mormonism was excluded from them? 

Is it not, indeed, too plain, to require the formality of a syllogism, 
that if any man's creed is to be found in the Bible, and the Bible is 
in the schools, (hen that man's creed is in the schools? This seems 
even plainer than the proposition, that two and two make four ; — that 
is, we can conceive of a creature so low down in the scale of intelli- 
gence, that he could not see what sum would be produced by adding 
two and two together, who still could not fail to see, that, if a certain 
system, called Christianity, were contained in, and inseparable from, 
a certain book called the Bible, then wherever the Bible might go, there 
the system of Chi*istianity must be. If a vase of purest alabaster, 
tilled with myrrh and frankincense, and precious ointments, were in 
the school, would not their perfumes be there also? And would the 
beautiful vase, and the sweet aroma of spice and ungent be any more 
truly there, if some concocter of odors, such as nature never made, 
should insist upon saturating the air with the products of his own 
distillations, which, though pleasant to Ids idiosyncracy, would be nau- 
seous to every body else? But if a man is conscious or suspicious, 
that his creed is not in the Bible, but resolves that it shall be in the 
schools, at any rate ; then it is easy to see that he has a motive either 
to exclude the Bible from school, or to introduce some other book, or 
some oral interpreter in company with it, to misconstrue and override 
it. If the Bible is in the schools, we can see a reason why a Jew, 
who disbelieves in the mi.«sion of our Savior ; or a Mahomedan who 
believes in that of the Prophet, should desire, by oral instruction, or 
catechism, or otherwise, to foist in his own views, and thereby smother 
all conflicting views : but even they would not dare to say that the 
schools where the Bible was found, were either anti-Chii-tian or un- 
Christian. So far from this, if they were candid, they would acknowl- 
edge that the system of Ciiristianity was in the schools, and that they 
wished to neutralize and discard it, by hostile means. 



223 

Andfurtbei-; our law explicitly and solemnly enjoins it upon all 
teachers, without any exception,*" to exert their best endeavors, to 
impress on the minds of children and youth committed to their care 
and instruction, the principles of piety, justice, and a sacred regard to 
truth, love to their country, humanity and universal benevolence, so- 
briety, industry, and frugality, chastity, moderation, and temperance, 
and those other virtues which are the ornament of human society, and 
the basis upon which a republican constitution is founded.'' Are not 
these virtues and sraees part and parcel of Christianity? In other 
words, can there be Christianity without them? While these virtues 
and these duties towards God and man, are inculcated in our schools, 
any one who says that the schools are anti-Christian or un-Christian, 
expressly affirms that his own system of Christianity does not em- 
brace any one of this radiant catalogue ; that it rejects them all ; that 
it embraces their opposites ! 

And further still ; our system makes it the express duty of all the 
" resident ministers of the Gospel" to bring all the children withm 
the moral and Christian inculcations above enumerated ; so that he 
who avers that our system is an anti-Christian or an un-Christiau one, 
avers that it is both anti-Christian and un-Christian for a "minister 
OF THE Gospel" to promote, or labor to diffuse, the moral attributes 
and excellences, which the statute so earnestly enjoins. 

So far, the argument has been of an affirmative character. Its 
scope and purpose show, or, at least, tend to show, hy direct^ proof, 
that the school system of Massachusetts is not an anti-Chri^stian, nor 
an un-Christian system. But there is still another mode of proof.— 
The truth of a proposition may be established, by showing the falsity 
or absurdity of all conflicting propositions. So far as this method can 
be applied to moral questions, its aid may safely be invoked here. 

What are the other courses, which the State of lUassachusetts 
might adopt or sanction, in relation to the education of its youth ? 
They are these four : — 

1. It might establish schools, but expressly exclude all religious 
instruction from them,— -making them merely schools for secular in- 
struction. 

2. It might adopt a course, directly the reverse of this. It might 
define and prescribe a system of religion for the schools, and appoint 
the teachers and officers, whose duty it should be to carry out that 
system. 

3. It might establish schools by law, and empower each religious 
sect, whenever and wherever it could get a majority, to determine 
what religious faith should be taught in them. And, 

4. It might expressly disclaim and refuse all interference with the 
education of the young, and abandon the whole work to the hazards 
of private enterprise, or to parental will, ability, or caprice. 

1. A system of schools from which all religious instruction should 
be excluded, might properly be called un-Christian, or. rather, non- 
Christian, in the same sense in which it could be called non-Jewish, 
or non-Mahomedan ; that is, as having no connection with either. I 
do not suppose a man can be fouud in Massachusetts, who would de- 
clare such a system to be his first ohoice. 



224 

2. Were the State to establisli schools, and prescribe a system of 
religion to be taught in them, and appoint the teachers and officers to 
superintend it, could there be any better definition or exemplification 
of an Ecclesiastical Establishment ? Such a system would create, at 
once, the most formidable and terrible hierarchy ever established upon 
earth. It would plunge society back into the Dark Ages, at one 
precipitation. The people would be compelled to worship the image 
which the government, like another Nebuchadnezzar might set up ; 
and, for any refusal, the fiery furnace, seven times heated, would be 
their fate. And worse than this. The sacerdotal tyranny of the Dark 
Ages, and of more ancient, as well as of more modern times, address- 
ed its commands to inen. Against men^ it fulminated its anathemas. 
On onen^ its lightnings fell. But men had free agency. They could 
sometimes escape. They could always resist. They were capable of 
thought. They had powers of endurance. They could be upheld by 
a sense of duty here, and by visions of transcending rewards and 
glories hereafter. They could proclaim truth, in the gaspings of 
death, — on the scaffold, in the fire, in the interludes of the rack, — and 
leave it as a legacy and a testimony to others. But children have no 
such resources to ward of tyranny, or to endure its terrors. They are 
incapable of the same comprehensive survey of truth ; of the same 
invincible resolve ; of being inspired with an all-sustaining courage 
and endurance from the realities of another life. They would die un- 
der imprisonment. Affrighted at the sight of the stake, or of any of 
the dread machinery of torture, they would surrender their souls to 
be distorted into any deformity, or mutilated into any hideousness. — • 
Before the process of starvation had gone on for a day, they would 
swallow any belief, — from Atheism to Thuggery. 

For any human government, then, to attempt to coerce and prede- 
termine the religious opinions of children, by law, and contrary to the 
will of their parents, is unspeakably more criminal than the usurpa- 
tion of such control over the opinions of men. The latter is treason 
against truth ; but the former is sacrilege. As the worst of all crimes 
against chastity are those which debauch the infant victim before she 
knows what chastity is; so the worst of all crimes against religious 
truth, are those which forcibly close up the avenues, and bar the doors, 
that lead to the forum of reason and conscience. The spirit of eccle- 
siastical domination, in modern times, finding that the principles of 
men are too strong for it, is attempting the seduction of children. — 
Fearing the opinions that may be developed by mature reflection, it 
anticipates and forestalls those opinions; and seeks to imprint, upon 
the ignorance and receptiveness of childhood, the convictions which it 
could never fasten upon the minds of men in their maturity. As an 
instance of this, the " Factories Bill," so called, which, in the year 
1843, was submitted by Sir James Graham to the British Parliament, 
may be cited. Among other things, this bill provided that schools 
should be established in manufacturing districts, under the auspices 
of the nation, and partly at its expense. These schools were to be 
placed under the immediate superintendence and visitation of officers 
appointed by the government. No teacher was to be eligible unless 



225 

approved by a bishop or arcbbisliop. Any parent, who hired out his 
child to work in a factory, for half a day, unless he should go to this 
sectarian, or government school the other half of the day, was to be 
fined ; and, for non-payment of the fine, imprisonment was the legal 
consequence. So, any overseer, or factory proprietor, who should em- 
ploy a child for half a day, who did not attend school the other half, 
was also subject to a fine ; and. of course, to imprisonment, if the fine 
were not paid. It did not at all alter the principle, that, in a few ex- 
cepted cases, owing to the peculiar nature of the work, the children 
were allowed to prosecute it for a whole day, or for two or three days 
in succession ; because, just so long as they were permitted to work, 
just so long were they required to go to the school, after the work. — 
Nor, in a great majority of cases, was it any mitigation of the plan, 
that, if the parents would provide a separate school for their children, 
at their own expense, they might send to it : because not one in ten 
of the operatives had either time or knowledge to found such a school, 
or pecuniary ability to pay its expenses, if it were founded. The di- 
rect object and eifect, therefore, of the proposed law, were to compel 
children to attend the government school, and be taught the govern- 
ment religion, under the penalty of starvation or the poor-house. — 
Children were debarred from a morsel of bread, unless they took it 
saturated with the government theology. 

Now, to the moral sentiments of every lover of truth, of every lover 
of freedom for the human soul, is there not a meanness, is there not an 
infamy, in such a law, compared with which the bloody statutes of Eli- 
zabeth and Mary were magnanimous and honorable 1 To bring the 
awful forces of government to bear upon and to crush such lofty and 
indomitable souls, as those of Latimer and Cranmer, or Ridley and Ro- 
gers, one would suppose to be diabolical enough to satisfy the worst 
spirits in the worst regions of the universe ; but for a government to 
doom its children to starvation, unless they will say its catechism ; 
and to imprison the parent, and compel him to hear the wailings of 
his own famishing offspring, — compel him to see them perish, physi- 
cally, by starvation, or, morally, by ignorance, — unless he will consent 
that they shall be taught such religious doctrines, as he believes will 
be a peril and a destruction to their immortal souls ; — is it not the 
essence of all tyrannies, of all crimes, and of all basenesses, concreted 
into one ! 

Such a system as this stands in the strongest possible contrast to 
the Massachusetts system. Will those who call our system un-Chris- 
tian and anti-Christian, adopt and practise this system, as Christian 
and religious. 

3. As a third method, the government might establish schools by 
law, and empower each religious sect, whenever and wherever it could 
get a majority, to determine what religious faith should be taught in 
them. 

Under such a sytem, each sect would demand that its own faith 
should be inculcated in all the schools , — and tkis, on the clear and 
simple ground that such faith is the only true one. Each differing 
faith, believed in by all the other sects, must, of course, be excluded 
from the schools ; — and this, on the equally clear and simple ground, 



226 

that there can be but one true faith ; and which that is, has already 
been determined, and is no longer an open f|uestiou. Under such a 
system, it will not suffice to have the Bible in the schools, to speak for 
itself. Each sect will rise up and virtually say, •' Although the Bible 
from Genesis to Revelation is in the schools, yet its true meaning and 
doctrines are not there ; Christianity is not there, unless our commen- 
tary, our creed, our catechism, is there also. A revelation from God 
is not sufficient. Our commentary, or our teacher, must go with it, 
to reveal what the revelation means. Our book, or our teacher, must 
be superadded to the Bible, as an appendix or an erratum is subjoined 
at the end of a volume, to supply oversights and deficiences, and to 
rectify the errors of the text. It is not sufficient that the Holy Ghost 
has spoken by the mouth of David ; it is not sufficient that God has 
spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets, which have been since 
the world began ; it is not sufficient, that you have the words of one 
who spoke as never man spake ; — all this leaves you in fatal ignorance 
and error, unless you have o\ir ' Addenda' and '■Corrigenda,' — our 
things to be supplied, and things to be corrected. Nay, we affirm, that, 
without our interpretation and explanation of the faith which was once 
delivered unto the saints ; all that the Holy Ghost, and God and Christ 
have promulgated and taught to man, still leaves your system an un- 
christian and an anti-Christian system. To accept a revelation direct 
from Jehovah, is not enough. His revelation must pass through our 
hands ; His Infinite Mind must be measured and squared by our minds; 
we have sat in council over his law, His promises, and His threaten- 
ings, and have decided, definitively, unappealably, and forever, upon 
the only true interpretation of them all. Your schools may be like 
the noble Bereans, searching the Scriptures daily, but unless the result 
of those scarchings have our countersign and^endorsement, those schools 
are un-Christian and anti-Christian. 

Now, it is almost too obvious to be mentioned, that such a claim as 
the above, reduces society at once to this dilemma : If one religious sect 
is authorized to advance it, for itself, then all other sects are equally 
authorized to do the same thing, for themselves. The right being equal 
among all the sects, and each sect being equally certain and equally 
determined ; what shall be done ? Will not each sect, acting under 
religious impulses, — which are the strongest impulses that ever animate 
the breast of man, — will not each sect do its utmost to establish its 
supremacy in all the schools? Will not the heats and animosities 
engendered in families, and among neighbors, burst forth with a de- 
vouring fire, in the primary, or district school meetings ; and when 
the inflammable materials of all the district meetings are gathered to- 
gether in the town meeting, what can quell or quench the flames, till 
the zealots, themselves, are consumed in the conflagration they have 
kindled? Why would not all those machinations and oppressions be 
resorted to, in order to obtain the ascendancy, if religious proselytism 
should be legalized in the schools, which would be resorted to, as I have 
endeavored, in a preceding part of this report, to explain, if political 
proselytism were permitted in the schools ? Suppose, at last, that 
differeat sects should obtain predominance in different schools, — ^just 



227 

as is done by the different religions in the different nations in Europe^ 
— so. that, in one school, one system of doctrines should be taught to 
the children, under the sanctions of law, as eternal truth ; and, in the 
neighboring schools, other and opposite systems should also be taught, 
as eternal truth. Under such circumstances, perhaps it is not too much 
to suppose, that, although some of the weaker sects might be crushed 
out of existence at once, yet, that all the leading denominations, with 
their divisions and subdivisions, would have their representative schools. 
Into the^e, their respective catechisms, or articles of faith, would be in- 
troduced. And though the Bible itself might accompany tliem, yet, 
if we may judge from the history of all the religious struggles by which 
the world has been afflicted, the Bible would become the incident, and 
the catechism, and the articles, the principal. And if these various 
catechisms, or articles, do declare, as is averred by each party, what 
the Bible means, and what the Christian religion is ; then, what a pie- 
bald, hetrogeneous, and self-contradictory system, does Christianity 
become ! Suppose these schools to be brought nearer together, — within 
hearing distance of each other ; how discordant are the sounds they 
utter ! Bring them under the same roof; remove partition, or other 
architectural barrier, so that they may occupy the same apartment ; so 
that the classes may sit side by side ; and does the spectacle which 
they now exhibit illustrate the one indivisible, all-glorious system of 
Christianity ; — or is it the return of Babel ! Would such a system as 
this be called Christian, by those who denounce our system as anti- 
Christian. 

Is there not, on the contrary, an unspeakable value in the fact, that, 
under the Massachusetts system, the Bible is allowed to speak for it- 
self? Under a system, opposite to ours, this right of speaking for 
itself would never be vouchsafed to it. And how narrow is the dis- 
tance between those who would never allow the Bible to be read by the 
people at all, and those who will allow it to be read only in presence of 
a government interpreter ! If government and teachers really believe 
the bible to be the word of God, — as strictly and literally given by 
His inspiration, as the tables of the law which Moses brought down 
from the mount were written by His finger, — then they cannot deny, 
that when the Bible is read, God speaks ; — ^just as literally and truly, 
as an orator or a poet speaks, when his oration or his poem is rehears- 
ed. With this belief it is no figure of speech to say, when the lids of 
the Bible are opened, in school, that its oracles may be uttered, that 
the lips of Jehovah are opened that He may commune with all His 
children, of whatever faith, who may be there assembled. Is that a 
time and an occasion, for a worm of the dust, a creature of yesterday, 
to rush in and close the book, and silence the Eternal One, that he 
may substitute some form of faith of his own ; — some form, either re- 
ceived from tradition, or reasoned out, or guessed out, by his fallible 
faculties. — and impose it upon the children, as the plainer and better 
word of God ! Or, when the allotted hour for religious instruction 
comes ; or the desire arises in the teacher's mind, that the children of 
the school should hold communion with their heavenly Fatlier; suppose 
that Father, instead of the medium of the Bible, should send an angel 



228 

from His throne, to make known to them His commands and His ben- 
ediction, by living lips and in celestial words. Would that be a time 
for the chiefs of twenty different sects to rush in with their twenty 
diilerent catechisms,^ and thrust the heavenly Messenger aside, and 
struggle to see which could out-vociferate the rest, in proclaiming 
what the visitant on high was about to declare ? 

I hold it, then, to be one of the excellences, one of the moral beauties 
of the Massachusetts system, that there is one place in the land, where 
the children of all the different denominations are brought together for 
instruction, where the Bible is allowed to speak for itself; — one place, 
where the children can kneel at a common altar, and feel that they 
have a common Father and where the services of religion tend to cre- 
ate brothers, and not Ishmaelites. If this be so, then it does violence 
to truth, to call our system anti-Christian or un-Christian. 

'i hus far, under this head, I have supposed that the different sects, 
in their contests for supremacy, would keep the peace. But every 
page in the history of polemic struggles, shows such a supposion to be 
delusive. In the contests for victory, success would lead to haughti- 
ness, and defeat to revenge. Affinities and repulsions would gather 
men into bodies ; these bodies would become battallions, and would 
set themselves in hostile array against each other. Weakness of argu- 
ment would reinforce itself by strength of arm ; and the hostile par- 
ties would appeal from the tribunal of reason to the arbritrament of 
war. But, after cities had been burned, and men slaughtered by thou- 
sands, and every diabolical passion in the human breast satiated, and 
the combatants were forced, from mere exhaustion, to rest upon their 
arms ; it would be found upon a reexamination of the controverted 
grounds, that not a rule of interpretation had been altered ; not the 
tense of a single verb, in any disputed text had been changed ; not a 
Hebrew point, nor a Grreek article, had been added or taken away ; 
but that every subject of dispute remained as unsettled and uncertain 
as before. Is any system, which, by the law of human passions, leads 
to such results, either Christian or religious 1 

4. One other system, — if it may be so called, — is supposable ; and 
this exhausts the number of those which stand in direct conflict with 
ours. It is this : Government might expressly disclaim and refuse all 
interference with the education of the young, abandoning the whole 
work to the hazards of private enterprise, or to parental will, ability, 
or caprice. 

The first effect "of this course would be, the abandonment of a large 
portion of the children of every community to hopeless and inevitable 
ignorance. Even with all the aids, incitements, and bounties, now be- 
stowed upon education, by the most enlightened states in this Union, 
there exists a perilous and growing body of ignorance, animated by 
the soul of vice. Were government systems to be abolished, and all 
government aids to be withdrawn, the number of "American children, 
who, in the next generation, would be doomed to all the wants and 
woes that can come in the train of ignorance and error, would be count- 
ed by millions. This abandoned portion of the community would be 
left, without any of the restraints of education, to work out the infinite 
possibilities of human depravity. In the more favored parts of the 



229 

country, the rich might educate their own children ; although it is 
well known, even now, that throughout extensive regions of the South 
and AVest, the best education which wealth can procure, is meagre, and 
stinted, and alloyed with much error. The " Parochial," or " Secta- 
rian" system might effect something in populous places ; but what 
could it do in rural districts, where so vast a proportion of all the in- 
habitants of this country reside ? In speaking of the difficulties of 
establishing schools at the West, Miss Beecher gives an account of a 
single village which she found there, consisting of only four hundred 
inhabitants, where there were fourteen different denominations. " Of 
the most numerous portions of these," she says, " each was jealous, lest 
another should start a church first, and draw in the rest. The result 
was, neither church nor Sunday school, of any kind was in existence." 
Of another place, she says, " I found two of the most influential citi- 
zens arrayed against each other, and supported by contending parti- 
sans, so that, whatever school one portion patronized, the other would 
oppose. The result was, no school could be raised, large enough to 
support any teacher." And, again, " In another large town, I was in- 
formed by one of the clergymen, that no less than twenty different 
teachers opened schools and gave them up, in about six months." 

In a population of four hundred, there would be about one hundred 
children who ought to attend school ; although this proportion, on an 
average of the whole country, is nearly three fold the number of actual 
attendants. One hundred children would furnish the materials for a 
good school ; but, divided between fourteen different schools, would 
give only seven children and one seventh of a child to each school. 
How impossible to sustain schools on such a basis ! The more nume- 
rous sects, it is true, would have a larger proportion ; but just so much 
less would be the proportion of the smaller sects; and, doubtless, there 
would be some who would be fully represented by the above mentioned 
fraction of one seventh of a child. But let us take the case of Massa- 
chusetts, where the population has a density of five times the average 
of the other states in the Union ; and let us see how insane aad suici- 
dal would be such a course of policy, even with us. Leaving out all 
the cities, there are three hundred and five toims, in Massachusetts, 
and thr-se comprise most of the rural and sparsely populated portion of 
the State. These three hundred and five towns have an average of 
eleven schools, (wanting a very small fraction,) for each. Two hun- 
dred and twenty-six, of these three hundred and five towns, have a 
population, according to the last census, of less than twenty-two hun- 
dred each. If there are twenty-two hundred inhabitants, and eleven 
schools, in a town, each school represents an average of two hundred 
inhabitants. Including every child, who was found in ail our Public 
Schools, last year, for any part either of the summer or winter terms, 
they would make a mean average, for those terms, of only forty-eight 
to a school. Now, suppose these forty-eight scholars to be divided, 
not between '■• fourteen^ hut only between^oz/r different denomina- 
tions, there would be but ttvelve to a school. Connect this result with 
the fact, that Massachusetts has a population five times as dense as the 
30 



230 

average of the residue of the Union, and it will be seen, by intuition, 
that only in a few favored localities, could the system of •• Sectarian"' 
schools be maintained. Tliis obstacle might be partially overcome by 
a union of two or more sects, between whom the repellency, resulting 
from some punctilios in matters of form or ceremonial observance, 
would not overcome the argument from availability: but this union, 
having been purchased by the sacrifice of a portion of what each holds 
to be absolute truth ; why, when any one of the allies should Lecome 
sufficiently powerful to stand alone, would it not dissolve the alliance, 
set up for itself, and abandon its confederates to their fate. 

In making the above computation, which gives an average of forty- 
eight scholars to each school ; it will be observed, that all the schools 
in the State are included. — the numerously attended schools of the 
cities, as well as the small ones of the country. And. although the 
number of districts in the two hundred and twenty-six towns, whose 
population is less than twenty-two hundred each, may be somewhat 
less than in the remaining seventy-nine towns: yet the fact unques- 
tionably is. that an allowance of forty-eight scholars to a school is 
much too large an average for the schools in these two hundred and 
twenty-sis. of the three hundred and five towns in the State. Of 
course, twelve scholars to a school would be much too large an aver- 
age, if the schools were divided only between four different sects. Nor 
has auy mention been made of the large numbers who connect them- 
selves with no religious sect ; and who. therefore, if united at all, would 
be united on the principle of opposition to sect. Surtly, the very 
statement of the case supersedes argument, in regard to the possibility 
of maintaining schools, for any considerable portion of the children of 
the country, ou such a basis. 

The calamities necessarily resulting from so partial and limited a 
system, as the one now under consideration, would inflict retributive 
loss and weakness upon all classes in the community, but upon the 
children of the poor, the ignorant, and the unfortunate, would the blow 
fall, with terrible severity. And what class of children ought we most 
assiduously to care for ? Christ came to save that which would other- 
wise be lost All good men, and all governments, so far as they imi- 
tate the example of Christ, strive to succor the distressed, and to 
reclaim the guilty : — in an intellectual and in a moral sense, to feed 
the hungry, to clothe the naked, to visit the sick and the imprisoned ; 
— amid the priceless wealth of character, to find the lost piece of 
silver, and, amid the wanderings from the fold of truth, to recover 
the lambs. Before heaven, it is now. to-day, the first duty of every 
government in Christendom, to bring forward those unfortunate classes 
of the people, who. in the march of civilization, have been left in the rear. 
Though the van of society should stand still for a century, the rear 
ought to be brought up. The exterminating decree of Herod was pa- 
rental and beneficent, compared with the cruel sway of those rulers 
who dig the pit-falls of temptation along the pathway of children, and 
suffer them to fall, unwarned and unassisted, into the abvss of ruin. 
y^ hat. then, shall he said of that opposition to our system, which, should 
it prevail, would doom to remediless ignorance and vice, the great 



231 

majority of all the children in this land ? Is such a system, as con- 
tradistinguished from our free system, Christian and reiigiinis? 

It is a very surprising fact, but oue which is aut l.eiiticated by a 
Report, made in the month of July last, by a committee of tlie Boston 
Primary Schools, that of the ten thousand one hundred and sixty tico 
children belonging to said schools, Jive tliousand one hundred and 
-fifty-four were of foreign parentage. Let sectarianism be introduced 
into the Boston schools ; or, rather, let it be understood, that the 
schools are to be carried on for the avowed purpose of building up any 
one of the New Eugland denominations ; and what a vast proportion 
of these five thousand one hundred and fifty four children would be 
immediately withdrawn from the schools. Their parents would as 
soon permit them to go to a lazar-house as to such schools ; and this, 
too, from the sinccrest of motives. The same thing would prove rela- 
tively true, in regard to no inconsiderable number of the less populous 
cities, and of the most populous towns in the State. Now, what would 
be the condition of such children, at the end of twenty years ; and what 
the condition of the communities, which had thus cruelly closed the 
school-house doors upon them ? Would not these communities be 
morally responsible for all the degradation, the miseries, the vices, and 
the crimes, consequent upon such expulsion from the school? And 
would such a result be one of the fruits of a Christian and a religious 
system ? 

But there would be another inseparable accompaniment of such a sys- 
tem. In Massachusetts, the average compensation paid to male teachers, 
is very much larger thau that which is paid in any other state in the Un- 
ion. It is nearly double what is given in most of the States; and yet, even 
with us, the great body of ambitious and aspiring young men pass by the 
profession of teaching, and betake themselves to some other employment 
known to be more lucra.ive, and falsely supposed to be more honora-, 
ble. How degrading, then, must be the eifect upon the general clitirac- 
ter and competency of teachers, as a profession, when, on the abolition 
of the Public Schools, and the substitution of Private and Sectarian 
Schools in their stead, the wages of teachers, for the poorer classes, 
shall be reduced to a pittance, and the collection of even this pittance 
shall be precarious.^ What will be the social rank and standing of 
teachers, when their customary income encourages no previous prepa- 
ration for their work, doles out only a niggardly subsistence even while 
they are engaged in the service, and leaves no surplus for the probable 
wants of sickness, or the certain ones of age? And among whom shall 
the teacher seek his associates, when he is shunned by the learned for 
his want of culture, and ridiculed for his poverty by the devotees of 
wealth? Even in England, where the population is so dense that, 
hardly a spot can be selected as a centre, which will not embrace, within 
a circumference of convenient distance, a sufficient number of children 
for a school; — even there, the voluntary and sectarian system leaves 
at least two thirds of the agricultural and manufacturing classes in a 
state ot the most deplorable ignorance ; — supplying them with teachers 
so far as it supplies them with teachers at all, who fulfil the double 
office of perpetuating errors, iu school, and degrading the character oi 
the profession, out of it 



232 

There is another fact of fearful significance, which no one who has 
any regard for the common interests of society, can be pardoned for 
forgetting. It is known to all, that, in many parts of the Union, the 
population is so sparse, and can command so little of ready means for 
pa3'ing salaries, that no resident clergyman of any denomination is to be 
found, throughout wide districts of country ; and many of those who do 
devote themselves to the spiritual welfare of their fellow men are most 
scantily provided for. If unmarried, they can barely live ; if they have a 
family, there is, oftentimes, a real scantiness of the comforts and neces- 
saries of life. They have neither books to peruse ; nor leisure to read, 
even if they had books. They may be a pious, but they cannot be a 
learned clergy. At least in one respect, they are compelled to imitate 
St. Paul; for, as he wrought at his own "craft" for a subsistence, so 
must they. And now, if existing means are too scanty to give a 
respectable support, even to the ministry; how disastrous must be the 
effect of dividing these scanty means between the institution of the Gos- 
pel, and the institution of the School? Will not the vineyard of the Lord 
be overgrown with weeds ; will not its hedges be broken down, and 
the wild beasts of the forest make their lair therein, if the servants 
who are set to tend and to dress it, are so few in number, and so misera- 
bly provided for 1 Is not this another criterion by which to deter- 
mine, whether our system is not as Christian and as religious, as that 
which would supplant it ? 

I know of but one argument, having the semblance of plausibility, 
that can be urged against this feature of our system. It may be said 
that if questions of doctrinal religion are left to be decided by men, 
for themselves, or by parents for their children, numerous and griev- 
ous errors will be mingled with the instruction. Doubtless the fact 
is so. If truth be one, and if man 3^ contradictory dogmas are taught 
as truth, then it is mathematically certain, that all the alleged truths, 
but one, is a falsity. But, though the statement is correct, the infer- 
ence which is drawn from it, in favor of a government standard of 
faith, is not legitimate ; for all the religious errors which are believed 
in by the free mind of man, or which are taught by free parents to 
their children, are tolerable and covetable, compared with those which 
the patronage and the seductions of government can suborn men to 
adoptj and which the terrors of government can compel them to per- 
petuate. The errors of free minds are so numerous and so various, 
that they prevent any monster-error from aquiring the ascendancy ; 
and, therefore. Truth has a chance to struggle forward amid the strifes 
of the combatants ; but if the monster-error can usurp the throne of 
the civil Power, fortify itself by prescription, defend its infallibility 
with all the forces of the State, sanctify its enormities under sacred 
names, and plead the express command of God for all its atrocities ; — 
against such an antagonist. Truth must struggle for centuries, bleed at 
at every pore, be wounded in every vital part, and can triumph at last 
only after thousands and tens of thousands of her holiest disciples, 
shall have fallen in the conflict. 

If, then, a government would recognize and protect the rights of 
religious freedom, it must abstain from subjugating the capacities of 



233 

its children to any legal standard of religious faith, with as great jBde- 
lity as it abstains from controllicg the opinions of men. It must meet 
the unquestionable fact, that the old spirit of religious dominion is 
adopting new measures to accomplish its work. — measures, which, if 
successful, will be as fatal to the liberties of mankind, as those which 
were practised in by-gone days of violence and terror. These new 
measures are aimed at children instead of men. They propose to 
supersede the necessity of subduing free thought, in the nnind of the 
adult^ by forestaliug tlae development of any capacity of free thought, 
in the mind of the child. They expect to find it easier to subdue the 
free agency of children, by binding them in fetters of bigotry, than to 
subdue the free agency of men, by binding them in fetters of iron. — 
For this purpose, some are attempting to deprive children of their 
right to labor, and, of course, of their daily bread, unless they will at- 
tend a gevernment school, and receive its sectarian instruction. Some 
are attempting to withhold all means, even of secular education, from 
the poor, and thus punish them with ignorance, unless, with the secu- 
lar knowledge which they desire, they will accept theological know- 
ledge which they condemn. Others, still are striving to break down 
all free Public School systems, where they exist, and to prevent their 
establishment, where they do not exist, in the hope, that on the down- 
fall of these, their system will succeed. The sovereign antidote against 
these machinations, is, Free Schools for all, and the right of every pa- 
rent to determine the religious education of his children. 



Use of School Houses for other 2'>urposes than Schools. 

In the case of the appeal of Isaac Hall, of School District No. 10, of 
the town of North Kingstown, from the proceedings of the Trustees 
of said district, in permitting the school house in said district to be 
used for a debatii^g society ; the said Trustees having been notified 
and heard before the Commissioner at Wickford, on the first day of 
February, A. D., 1853. 

The case involves the right of the district or trustees, to use the 
school house for other purposes than an ordinary school, and depends 
partly upon the provision of the general school laws, and partly upon 
the conditions of the deed of the lot upon which this particular school 
house stands. 

The following remark upon the subject is made in section one hun- 
dred and twenty-one of the notes to the School act : — " A school house 
built or bought by taxation on the property of the district, should not 
be used for any other purpose than keeping a school, or for purposes 
directly connected with education, except, by the general consent of 
the tax paying voters." 

The rule here laid down is believed to be substantially correct and 
sound. The district holds the property in trust for educational pur- 
poses. The money has been taken from the tax payers by force of 
law for certain purposes, and for those only, and cannot be applied by 
either district or trustees to any other use. 



234 

I am of opinion that under the school law the house may be used 
for educational purposes cullMteral to the m;iin purpose, such as meet- 
ings of the district for school business, lectures upon literary or scien- 
tific subjects, debating societies for the people or children of the dis- 
trict, &c. It may not be easy in all cases to draw the line between 
legal and illegal uses, but it would be perfectly clear that the district 
could not use the house for trade or religious meetings if any person 
objected to it. 

The question then arises whether the deed in the present case, varies 
the rights of parties from what they would be if the deed contained no 
conditions. 

By the deed from Joseph Case and others, dated October 11th, 
1848, the school house lot is conveyed to the district, '-for the pur- 
pose of maintaining thereon a district school house and its appurte- 
nances, for the benefit of the district school of said district, and for no 
other use or purpose whatever, except religious meetings,' and it is 
provided, " that when said lot of land shall cease to be occupied for 
the purposes of a district school aforesaid, the same shall revert to the 
grantors, their heirs and assigns forever-" 

The exception in regard to religious meetings may be left out of 
consideration in the present case. It cannot afi"ect it in any way. — 
If the district have no right to hold religious meetings there indepen- 
dent of the deed, the deed cannot give it to them. And if the dis- 
trict would have such a right otherwise, it may admit of question 
whether a provision in a deed would deprive them of it. 

Leaving out of consideration the words, "except religious meet- 
ings," the remainder of the first passage quoted from the deed, ap- 
pears to me, on the maturest reflection, to express no more and no 
less than the school law, according to the construction herein given to 
it, would have expressed without the deed ; the provision in the deed 
is exactly in the spirit of the law, and neither adds to or lessens the 
rights and powers of the district or trustees. 

If the first passage quoted from the deed, does not vary the rights 
of the district, from what they would be, if there was no such provis- 
ion in the deed, the latter proviso appears for the same reason to contain 
no limitation as to the use of the house, which would prevent its being 
used for the purposes for which I have said the law apart from the 
deed would authorize. 

E. R. POTTER, 
Commissioner of Public Schools. 

I have carefully considered of the above opinion and approve of the 
same. I have also consulted with Judges Haile and Brayton, who con- 
cur with me in opinion. 

R. W. GREENE, 
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. 
March 4th, 1853. 



235 

Opinion of Gen. John A. Diz, Secretary of State and Sii'perintend- 
ent of Schools of Neiv York., upon the foUoiuing questions : — 

1st. Whether Trustees have a right to hold the school house of 
their district open for any religious or temperance meetings, when 
not encroaching on school hours. 

2d. Whether a vote of the majority of the taxa'ole inhabitants in 
any district shall decide as to the duty of Trustees on the question 
above mentioned. 

Mr. Dix, in his opinion given, February 19th, 1833, says: 

" 1st. The Trustees of each school district have the custody and 
safe keeping of the district school house. 

They have the custody of it for the purposes specified in the act 
from which they derive their authority ; and they have therefore 
strictly no more right to allow it to be used for religious meetings, 
than the Trustees of a religious society would have to allow the church 
or meeting house to be used for keeping a school. 

There would be no impropriety in allowing either to be used for one 
purpose or the other, if no objection were raised by the district or the 
society. 

But where controversies grow out of the application of a school 
bouse, to purposes not contemplated in establishing it; it is the duty 
of the Trustees to confine its use strictly to the legitimate objects. 

2d. I do not consider the voice of a majority of the inhabitants 
of a district, as a proper criterion for determining the propriety of ap- 
ph ing a school house to other uses than those for which it was de- 
signed. 

The law has determined this question. 

It cannot with strict propriety be applied to other than common 
school purposes. 

It may be othewise used by the general consent of the parties in- 
terested. But if such use were likely to distract the district by breed- 
ing dissentions, and a respectable minority should apply to me for an 
order to confine the school house to its legitimate purposes, I should 
not consider myself at liberty to deny the application. 



236 

Extracts from Areopagitica : a speech for the liberty of unlicensed printing, 
to the Parliament of England, by John Milton. (Young's edition of 
Milton's works.) 

" They,who to states and governors of the commonwealth direct their speech) 
high court of parliament ! or wanting such access in a private condition, write 
that which they foresee may advance the public good, I suppose them, as at 
the beginning of no mean endeavour, not a little altered and moved inwardly 
in their minds ; some with doubt of what will be the success, otiiers with fear 
of what will be the censure ; some with hope, others with confidence of what 
they have to speak. And me j^erhaps each of these dispositions, as the sub- 
ject was whereon I entered, may have at other times variously affected, and 
likely might in these foremost expressions now also disclose which of them 
swayed most, but that the very attempt of this address thus made, and the 
thought of whom it hath recourse to, hath got the power within me to a pas- 
sion, tar more welcome than incidental to a preface; which though I stay not 
to confess ere any ask, I shall be blameless, if it be no other, than the joy and 
gratulation which it brings to all who wish and promote their country's liberty, 
whereof this whole discourse proposed will be a certain testimony, if not a trophy. 
For this is not the liberty which we can hope, that no grievancer ever should 
arise in the commonwealth ; that let no man in this world expect ; but when 
complaints are freely heard, deeply considered, and speedily reformed, then 
is the utmost bound of civil liberty attained that wise men look for ; to which 
if I now manifest by the very sound of this which I shall utter, that we are 
already in good part arrived, and yet from such a steep disadvantage of tyran- 
ny and superstition grounded into our principles as was beyond the manhood 
of a Roman recovery, it will be attributed first, as is most due, to the strong as- 
sistance of God, our deliverer ; next, to your faithful guidance and undaunted 
wisdom, lords and commons of England !" — ps. 17, 18. 

******** 

" Dionysius Alexandrinus was about the year two hundred forty, a person 
of great name in the church, for piety and learning, who had wont to avail 
himself much against heretics, by being conversant in their books, until a cer- 
tain presbyter laid It scrupulously to his conscience, how he durst venture 
himself amongst those defiling volumes. The worthy man, loth to give offence, 
fell into a new debate with himself, what was to be thought ; when suddenly 
a vision sent from God, it is his own epistle that so avers it, confirmed him in 
these words ; ' Read any books whatever come to thy hands, for thou art suf- 
ficient both to judge aright, and to examine each matter.' To this revelation 
he assented the sooner, as he confesses, because it was answerable to that of 
the apostles to the Thessalonians ; ' Prove all things, hold fast that which is 
good.' And he might have added another remarkable saying of the same au- 
thor; ' To the pure, all things are pure;' not only meats and drinks, but all 
kind of knowledge, whether of good or evil. The knowledge cannot defile, 
nor consccjuently the books, if the Avill and conscience be not defiled. For 
books are as meats and viands are ; some of good, some of evil svibstance ; and 
yet God, in that unapocryphal vision, said without exception, ' Rise, Peter, 
kill and eat ;' leaving the choice to each man's discretion. Wholesome meats 
to a vitiated stomach, diff"er little or nothing from unwholsome ; and best books 
to a naughty mind are not unapplicable to occasions of evil. Bad meats will 
scarce breed good nourishment in the healthiest concoction ; but herein the dif- 
fernce is of bad books, that they, to a discreet and judicious reader, serve in 
many respects to discover, to confute, to forewarn, and to illustrate ; whereof 
what better witness can ye expect I should produce, than one of your own 
now sitting in parliament, the chief of learned men reputed in this land, Mr. 
Selden, whose volume of natural and national laws proves, not only by great 
authorities brought together, but by exquisite reasons and theorems almost 



237 

mithomatlcally flomorstrative, that all opinion?, yoa, errors, knOTrn. rend, and 
cullati'd, arc of main SLTvire aii.l ass.staacc tuward ttiu speedy attainment of 
wliat is truest. 

I conreivc therc'bre, tint when God did enlaroe the universal diet of man's 
body, Sdviiior ever the rules of temperame, he then also, as hetbre, left arbi- 
trary the dieting and repastinp; our minds, as wherein every mature man 
m:j>iit have to e.Kereise his own leading eapaiity. How great a virtue is tem- 
perance '? how mu -h of moment through the whole lift.' of man V Yet God 
commits the managing so gre it a trust, without p irticulir law or prese) iption, 
wliolly to the (h-me uiour of every grown man. An '. therefore, when he him- 
self tabled the Jews from heiven. th it omer wlii^-h was every min's daily por- 
tion of miiina, is coniMuted to hive been more thin might iiave well sulHeed 
the heartiest feeder tliriee as mmv meals. For those a -tions ■wiiich enter into 
a man, ratlier than issue out of iiim, and therel'ore defile not, (rod uses not to 
captivate under a perpetual childhood of prescription, lait trusts him with the 
gift of reason to be his own chooser. There were but Utile woik left for 
preaching, if law and compulsion should grow so fast nprn! those thing? which 
heretofore were govern<-d oidy by e.xhortation. So omon informs us, that 
mu -h reading is a weariness to the flesh ; but neither he, nor otlier inspired 
author tdls us ihat su.di or such reading is unlawful ; j-et certainly had God 
thought good to limit us herein, it had been nuicii more expedient to have told 
us what was unlawful, tlian Avhat was wearisome." — ps. 31 — '3'6. 

* * « * * * * * 

" Good and evil wc know in the field of this world grow up together almost 
inseparably; and the knowledge of good is so invo've.l and interwoven with 
the kiiowledgi! of evil, and in so many cunning resemblances hardly to be dis- 
cerned, that those confused seeds whi( h ^\e.e imposed upon I'syche as an 
incessant labor to cull out and sort asunder, were not more intermixed. It 
was from out thi- rind of one ap[)le tasted, that the knowIe<ige of good and 
evil, as two twins cleaving together, leaped lorth into the world. And [lerhaps 
this is that doom which Adam fell into of knowing good and evil, that is to say, 
of knowing good by evil. As theref()re the state of man now is, what wisdom 
can there be to choose, what continence to forbear without the knowledge 
of evil? He that can apprehend and consider vice with all her baits and 
seeming pleasures, and yet abstain, and yet distinguish, and yet prefer that 
which is truly better, he is the true wayfaring Christian. I cannot praise a 
fugitive and cloistered virtue, unexercised and unbrealhed, that never sallies 
out and sees her adversary, but slinks out of the race, where that immortal 
garland is to be run for, not without dust and heat. Assuredly we bring not 
innocence into the world, we bring impurity much rather. i hat whicli puri- 
fies us is trial, and trial is by wliat is c ontrary. That virtue therefore which 
is but a youngling in the contempiatiou of evil, and knows not the utmost that 
vice promises to her followers, and rejects it, is but a blank virtue-, not a pure; 
her whiteness is l)ut an excremental whiteness, which wis the reason why our 
sage and serious poet S])enser, whom I dare be known to think is a better 
teiidier than S.otus or Atpiinas, describinij; true temperance under tlie person 
of Guion, brings him in with his I'almer through the cave of .Mammon, and 
the bower ot earthly bliss, that he might see and know, and yet abstain. Since 
therefore the knowledge and survey of vice is in this world so necess iry to the 
constituting of human virtue, and the scanning of error to the confirmation of 
truth, how can we more safely, and with less danger, scout into the regions of 
sin and fal.-ity, than by reading all manner of tractates, and hearing all manner 
of reason V And this is the benefit whicli maj- be had of books promiscuously 
read." — ps. 33, 34. 

31 



238 

" HcisMcs, anotlior inr-onvenience ; if learned men be the first receivers out 
of bt) )ks, and disprcaders both of vi.-e and error, how shall the Ucensers 
tiu'iiiselvcs be coiifi(Jed in, uidess we can confer npon them, oi- they assiuiie to 
thenis'dvc's above all othei-s in the land, the trrace of infallibility, and uncor- 
ruptedaess? And afriiii, if it be true, that a wise man, like a good refiner, 
can gither gold out of the (b-ossiest volume, ami that a tool will be a fool with 
the beit book, yen, or without bo >k, there is no reason that we should deprive 
a wise man of any advantage to his wisdom, while we sei'k to restrain from a 
fool, thit which being restrained will be no hindran'e to his folly. For if 
there should be so much exactness always used to keep that from him which 
is unfit for his reading, wj should, in the jungment of Aristotle not only, but 
of Solomon, and of our Sa^i(>ul^ not vouchsafe him good precept, and by con- 
se(pien:'e not willingly adnut him to good books, as lieing certain that a wise 
mm will mike a better use of an idle pamjdilet, than a tool will do of sacred 
scripture." — ps. 3G, 3 7. 

******** 

" If we think to regulate printing, thereby to rectify manners, we nuist resxu- 
late all recreitioa-i and pistimcs, all tint is delightful to man. No music nnist 
be heard, no song be set or sung, but what is grave and Doric. There must 
be licensing dangers, that no gesture, motion, or deportment be taught our 
youth, but wl»;>t, by their allowance, shall be thought honest; for such Plato 
was provided of It will ask more than the work of twenty licensers to exam- 
ine all the lutes, the violins, and the guitars in every house ; they nmst not lie 
suHiTcd to prattle as they do, but must be licensed what they may say. And who 
shall silence all tlic airs and madrigals that whisper softness in chambers V — 
The windows also, an(] the balconies must be thought on ; there are shrewd 
books, with dangerous frontispieces, set to sale; who shall prohibit them? 
shall twenty licensers '? The villages also must have their visitois to in- 
quire what lectures the bagpi])e, and the rebec reads, even to the ballatry and 
g mint of every municipal fiddler; for these are the countryman's Arcadias 
and his Alonle Mayors. Aext, what more national corruption, for which Kngland 
heirs ill abro id, than household gluttony V Who shall be the rectors of our 
d.iily rii>ting ? and wlnt shall be done to inhibit the multituiles that frequent 
those houses where drind<enness is sold and harboured ? Our garments also 
should be referred to the licensing of some more sober woikmasters, to see 
them cut into a less wanton garb. Who shall regulate all the mixed conver- 
sation of our \outh, male and female together, as is the fasliion of this country ? 
Who sli ill still appoint, wh it sh dl be discourseil,what presumed, and no further ? 
]..astly, who shaJ forbid and separate ;in idle resoi't, all e\il com|)any V These 
things will be, and must be; but how they shall be least hurtful, how least en- 
ticing, herein consists the grave and governing wisdom of a state. To 
sequester out of the world into Atlantic and Kutopian politics, which never 
can be drawn into use, will not mend our condition ; but to ordain wisely as 
in this world of evil, in the midst wheieof (iod hath placed us unavoidal ly. 
Nor is it I'lato's li 'ensing ot books will do this, whi. h necessarily ])ulls along 
with it so many Oilier kinds of licensing as will make us both ridiculous and 
weary, and yet frustrate ; but those unwritten, or at least uiuonstraining laws 
of virtuous education, religious and civil nurture, which Plato there mentions 
a; the boiuls and ligunents of the connnonwealth, the pillars and the sustaiuers 
o every wiatten sta'ute, these they be which will bear chief sway in such mat- 
ters as these, when all licensing will be easily eluded. 

Impu.iity and remissness tor certain are the bane of a commonwealth ; but 
here are the great lies, to discern in what the law Is to bid restraint and pun- 
islimcnt, and in what things persuation only is to work. If every action 
which is good or evil in m\.n at ripe years, were to be under pittance, and 
proi.iipUoa, and coai|)ulsion, what were virtue but a name? what praise 



•239 

could be then due to well dning? what gramercy to be sober, jnst or onntl- 
nent ? Many there be that complain of Divine Providence for suffering 
Adam to ti-ansgress. Foolish tongues ! 'When God gave him reason, he gave 
him freedom to choose ; for reason is but choosing. lie liad been else a mere 
artificial Adam, sui-h an Adam as he is in the motions. We ourselves esteem 
not of that obedience, or love, or gift, which is of force. God therefore left 
him free, set before him a provoking object, ever ahnost in his eye-! ; herein 
consisted his merit, herein the right of his reward, the praise of h.is absti- 
nem-e. Wherefore did he create passions within ns, pleasures round about us, 
but that these ri.ditly tempered are the very ingredients of virtue. They are 
not siviiful considcrers of human things, who imagine to remove sin by remov- 
ing the matter of sin; for. besides that it is a huge heap increasing under the 
very act of diminishing, though some part of it may for a time be withdrawn 
from some persons, it cannot from all in sucti a universal thing as books are; 
and when this is doue, yet the sin reinvins entire. Tina I'.i ye take from a 
covetous mm all liis treasure, he has yet one jewel left: ye cannot bereave 
him of his covetousness. Banish all objects of lust, shut up all youth into the 
severest disci[)line that can be e.Kercised in any hermitage, ye cannot niake 
them chaste that came not thither so; such great care and wisdom is required 
to the right managing of this point. Suppose we could expel sin by this 
means; look how mu h we thus expel of sin, so much we expel of virtue; for 
the matter of them both is the same ; remove that, and ye remove them both 
alike. This justifies the hijrh Providence of God, who, though he commands 
us temperance, justice, continence, yet pours out before us even to a profuse- 
ness, all desirable things, and gives us minds that can wander beyond all limit 
and satiety. 

\yhy should we, then, affect a rigor contrary to the manner of God and of 
nature, by abridging or scanting those means, which books freely permitted 
are, both to the trial of virtue and the exercise of truth V It would be better 
done to learn that the law must needs be frivolous which goes to restrain things, 
uncertainly and yet equally working to good, and to evil. And were I a 
chooser, a dram of well doing should be preferred before many times as much 
the forcible hinderance of evil doing. For God sure esteems the growth and 
completing of one virtuous person, more than the restranit of ten vicious. 
And albeit, whatever thing we hear or see, sitting, walking, travelling, or 
conversing, may be fitly called our book, and is of the same effect that writinfrs 
are, yet grant the thing to be prohibited were only books, it appears that this 
order hitherto is far insufficient to the end Avhich it intends." — ps. 39-42. 
* » ****** 

" If, therefore, ye be loath to dishearten utterly and discontent, not the mer- 
cenary crew of false pretenders to learning, but the free and ingenious sort of 
su -h as evidently were born to study and love learning for itself, not for lucie 
or any other end, but the service of God and of truth, and perhaps that lasting 
fame and perpetuity of praise which (jod and good men have consented shall 
be the reward of those whose published labors advance the good of mankind; 
then know, that so far to distrust the judgment and the honesty of one who 
hath but a common repute in learning and never yet offended, as not to count 
him fit to print his mind without a tutor and examiner, lest he should drop a 
schism, or something of corruption, is the greatest displeasure and indignify to 
a free and knowing spirit that can be put upon him. What advantage is it to 
be a man over it is to be a boy at school, if we have only escaped the ferrula, 
to come under the fescue of an imprimatur? if serious and elaborate writings, 
as if they were no more than the theme of a grammar lad under his pedagogue, 
must not be uttered without the cursory eyes of a temporizing and extempor- 
izing licenser? lie who is not trusted with his own actions, his drift not being 
known to be evil, and standing to the hazard of law and penalty, has no ijreat 



240 

arfTumont to think himsolf roputed in the rommon-wcaUh wherein he was born, 
lor otlior than a fool or a foreigner." — p. 45. 

******** 

" And in conchision it reflects to the disrepute of our ministers also, of 
whose labors we slionld hope better, and of their profirieney wiiicli their floek 
reaps l)v tliem, than that after all this liuht of the cospel whieh is, and is to be, 
and all this i ontinnal ])reaehinir, they should still be irequented with such an 
unpiineipled, unedified. and laio ra!)lile. ;is that the whifT of every new pnm- 
j)hlet shouhl stau'm'r them nut of their catechism and christian walkinir. This 
may have nui h reason to discounise tiie ministers, when such a low conceit is 
had of all tlieir exhortations, and the bcnelitting of their hesirers, as that 
they are not thoiiLiht fit to be turned loose to three sheets of paper without a 
licenser; that all the seimons, all the lectures preached, printed, vended in 
such numbers, and sncli volumes, as have now well nigh made all other books 
unsaleable, should not be armor enough against one single Enchiridion, without 
the Castle of St. Angelo of an imprimatur." — ps. 49, 50. 

******** 

" While things are yet not constituted in religion, that freedom of writing 
should be restrained by a disci|)line imitated from the prelates, and learned by 
them from the Inquisition to shut us up all again into the breast of a licenser, 
must needs give cause of doubt and discouragement to all learned and religious 
men. Who cannot but discern the fineness of this politic drift, and who are 
the contrivers ? that while bishops were to be baited down, then all presses 
might be open ; it was the people's birthright and pi'i\i!ege in time of parlia- 
ment, it was the breaking forth of light. But now the bishops abrogated and 
voided out of the church, as if our reformation sought no more, but to make 
room for others into their seats under another name, the episcof)al arts begin 
to bud again ; the cruise of truth must run no more oil ; liberty of printing 
must be enthralled again under a prelatical commission of twenty; the privi- 
lege of the people nullified ; and which is worse, the freedom of learning 
must groan again, and to her oM fetters; all this the parliament yet sitting; 
althouo;h their own late arguments and defences against the prelates, might 
remember them that this obstructing violence meets for the most part with an 
event utterly opposite to the end which it drives at ; instead of suppressing sects 
and schisms, it raises them and invests them with a reputation. ' The punishing 
of wits enhances their autliority,' saith the Viscount St. Albans, 'and a for- 
bidden writing is thought to be a certain spark of truth that flies up in the 
faces of them who seek to treail it out.' This order therefore may prove a 
nursing mother to sects, but I shall easily show how it will be a stepdame to 
truth ; and first by disinabling us to the maintenance of what is known already. 

Well knows he who uses to consider, that our fiiith and knowledge thrives 
by exercise, as well as our limbs and complexion. Truth is compared in scrip- 
ture to a streaming fountain ; if her waters flow not in a perpetual progression, 
they sicken into a muddy pool of conformity and tradition. A man may be 
a heretic in the truth ; and if he believe things only because his pastor says 
so, or the Assembly so determines, without knowing other reason, though his 
belief be true, yet the ver^- truth he holds, becomes his heresy. There is not 
any burlen, that some would gladlier post off to another, than the charge and 
care of their religion. There be, who knows not that there be ? of protest- 
ants and professors who live and die in as errant an implicit faith, as any lay 
papist of Loretto. A wealthy man, addicted to his pleasure and to his profits, 
finds religion to be a traffic so entangled, and of so man}' piddling accounts, 
that of all mysteries he cannot skill to keep a stock going upon that trade. 
What should he do ? Fain he would have the name to be religious, fain he 
would bear up with his neighbors in that. What does he therefore, but resolves 
to give over ^qiliug, and to find himself out some factor, to whose care and credit 



241 

he may commit the whole managin<i of his rel^inus affairs ; some divine of 
note and estimation tliat must be. To him he adheres, resigns the whole ware- 
house of his religion ; witli all the locks and keys into his custody ; and indeed 
makes the very person of that man his religion; esteems his associating with 
him a sufficient evidence and commendatory of his own piety. 80 that a man 
may say his religion is now no more within himself, but is become a di- 
vidual moveable, and goes and comes near him, according as that good man 
frecjuents the house. He entertains him, gives him gifts, feasts him, lodges 
him ; his religion comes home at night, prays, is liberally supped, and sumptu- 
ously laid to sleep; rises, is saluted, and after the malmsey, or some well 
spiced brew^age, and better breakfasted than he whose morning appetite would 
have gladly ted on green figs between Bethany and Jerusalem, his religion walks 
abroad at eight, and leaves his kind entertainer in the shop trading all day 
without his religion. 

Another sort there be, who, when they hear that all things shall be ordered, 
all things regulated and settled, nothing written but what passes through the 
custom house of certain publicans that have the tonnaging and poundaging of 
all free spoken truth, will straight give themselves up into your hands, make 
them and cut them out what religion ye please. There be delights, there be 
recreations and jolly pastimes that will fetch the day about fi-om sun to sun, 
and rock the techous year as in a delightful dream. What need they torture 
their heads with that which others have taken so strictly and so unalterably 
into their own purveying? These are the fruits which a dull ease and cessa- 
tion of our knowledge will bring forth among the people. How goodly, and 
how to be wished were such an obedient unanimity as this V what a fine con- 
formity would it starch us all into V doubtless a staunch and solid piece of 
framework, as any January could freeze together." — ps. 52-55. 

" For if we be sure we are in the right, and do r.ot liold the truth gulltlh', 
which becomes not, if we ourselves condemn not our own weak and frivolous 
teaching, and the people for an untaught and irreligious gadding rout, what 
can be more fair, than when a man, judicious, learned, and of a conscience 
for aught we know as good as theirs that taught us what we know, shall not 
privily from house to house, whi>:h Is more dangerous, but openly by writing 
publish to the world what his opinion is, what his reasons, and wherefore 
that whirh is now thought cannot be sound? Christ urged it as wherewith 
to justify himself that he preached in public; yet writing is more public than 
preaching, and more easy to refutation, if need be, there being so many whose 
business and profession merely it is to be the champions of truth ; which if they 
neglect, what can be imputed but their sloth or inability ? " — p. 56. 
* * * * * * " * * 

" Truth indeed came once into the world with her divine master, and was 
a perfect shape most glorious to look on ; but when He ascended, and His 
apostles after Him were laid asleep, then straight arose a wicked rai-e of deceiv- 
ers, who as that story goes of the Egyptian 'JVphon with his conspirators, how 
they dealt with the good Osiris, took the virgin Truth, hewed her lovely form 
into a thousand pieces, and scattered them to the four winds. From that time 
ever since, the sad friends of Truth, such as durst appear, imitating the careful 
search that Isis made for the mangled body of Osiris, went up and down, gath- 
ering up limb by limb still as they could find them. We have not yet found 
them all, lords and commons ! nor ever shall do, till her Master's second coming ; 
He shall bring together every joint and member, and shall mould them into 
an immortal feature of lovehness and perfection. bulTer not these licensing 
prohibitions to stand at every jilace of opportunity, forbidding and distui-bing 
them that continue seeking, that continue to do our obsequies to the torn body 
of our martyred saint. 



242 

"We boast our H^ht ; but if we look not wisely on the snn itself, it smites us 
into darkness. Who can disrern those planets that are oft combust, and those 
stars of the briirhtest magnitude that rise and set with the sun, until the opposite 
motion of their orbs bring them to such a place in the firmament, where they 
may be seen evening or morning? The light Avhich we have gained, was 
given us, not to be ever staring on, but by it to discover onward tilings more 
remote from our knowledge. It is not the luifrocking of a priest, the un- 
mitring of a bishop, and the removing him from off the presbyterian shoul- 
ders, that will make us a happy nation. No, if other things as great in the 
church, and in the rule of life, both economical and political, be not looked 
into and reformed, we have looked so long upon the blaze that Zuinglius and 
Calvin have beaconed up to us, that we are stark blind. There be who per- 
petually complain of schisms and sects, and make it such a calamity, that any 
man dissents from their maxims. It is their own pride and ignorance which 
causes the disturbing, who neither will hear with meekness, nor can convince, 
yet all must be suppressed which is not found in their Syntagma. They are 
the troublers, they are the dividers of unity, who neglect and permit not others 
to unite those dissevered pieces which are yet wanting to the body of Truth. 
To be still searching what *\ve know not by what we know, still closing up 
truth to truth as we find it, for all her body is homogeneal and proportional, 
this is the golden rule in theology as well as in Arithmetic, and makes up the 
best harmony in a church ; not the forced and outward union of cold, and 
neutral, and inwardly divided minds." — ps. 5 7-59. 

******** 

" Where there is much desire to learn, there of necessity will be much 
arguing, much writing, many opinions; tor opinion in good men is but 
knowledge in the making. Under these fantastic terrors of sect and schism, 
we wrong the earnest and zealous thirst after knowledge and understanding, 
which God hath stirred up in this cit>'. What some lament of, we I'ather 
should rejoice at, should rather praise this pious forwardness among men, to 
reassume the ill deputed care of their religion into their own hands again. A 
little generous prudence, a little forbearance of one another, and some grain 
of charity might win all these diligencies to join, and unite into one general 
and brotherly seai'ch after truth, could we but forego this prelatical tradition 
of crowding free consciences and christian liberties into canons and precppts 
of men. 

I doubt not, if some great and worthy stranger should come among us, wise 
to discern the mould and temper of a people, and how to govern it, observing 
the hiffh hopes and aims, the diligent alacrity of our extended thoughts and 
reasonings in the pursuance of truth and freedom, but that he would cry out 
as Pyrrhus did, admiring the Roman docility and courage ; If such were my 
Epirots, I Avould not despair the greatest design that could be attempted to 
make a church or kingdom happy. Yet these are the men cried out against 
for schismatics and sectaries, as if, while the temple of the Lord was building, 
some cutting, some squaring the marble, others hewing the cedars, there should 
be a sort of irrational men, who could not consider there must be many 
schisms and many dissections made in the quarry and in the timber, ere the 
house of God can be built. And when every stone is laid artfully together, 
it cannot be united into a continuity, it can but be contiguous in this world. 
Neither can every piece of the building be of one form ; nay, rather, the 
perfection consists in this, that out of many moderate varieties and brotherly 
dissimilitudes that are not vastly disproportional, arises the goodly and the 
graceful symmetry that commends the whole pile and structure. Let us 
therefore be mqre considerate builders, more wise in spiritual architecture, 
when great reformation is expected. For now the time seems come, wherein 
TMoses, the great prophet, may sit in heaven rejoicing to see that memorable 



243 

and jrlorioiis M-ish of his fulfilled, when not only our seventy elder?, but all 
the Lord's peop'e are become propliets. No marvel then tlioujrii some men, 
and some i>ood mt'ii too perhaps, but young in goodness, as Josliua tlien was, 
envy tlieni. They fret, and out of their own weakness are in a^onv, lest 
these divisions and subdivisions will undo us. The adversary again ap])Iauds, 
and waits the hour. When they have branehed themselves out, saith he, small 
enough into parties and partitions, then will be our time. Fool ! he sees not 
the firm root, out of whieli we all grow, though into branches; nor will beware 
until he see our small divided maniples cutting through at every angle of his ill- 
united and unwieldly brigade. And that we are to hope better "of all these 
supposed sects and schisms, and that we shall not need that solicitude, honest 
perhaps, tliongh overtimerous, of them that ve.\ in this behalf, but shall laii<di 
in the end at those malicious applauders ot our ditlerences, 1 have these rea- 
sons to persuade me." — ps. (31, G2. 

« * •::;- ****■$■ 

" Next, it is a lively and cheerful presage of our happy success and victory. 
For as in a body when the blood is fresh, the spirits ])ure and vioorous, not 
otdy to vital, but to rational faculties, and those in the acutest and tlie pertest 
operations of wit and subtlety, it argues in what good plight and constitution 
the body is ; so when the cheerfulness of the people is so sprightly up as that 
it has not only wherewith to guard well its own freedom and safetv', but to 
space, and to bestow upon the solidest and sublimest points of controversy and 
new invention, it betokens us not degenerated, nor (Irooping to a fatal decay 
by casting off the old and wi-inkled skin of corruption to outlive these pan<Ts 
and "^vax young again, entering the glorious ways ot truth and prosperous 
virtue, destined to become great and honorable in these latter ages. Methinks 
I see in my mind a noble and [juissant nation, rousing herself like a stron^r 
man after sleep, and shaking her invincible locks ; methinks I see her as an 
eagle, muing her mighty youth, and kindling her undazzled eyes at the full 
mid-day beam, purging and unsealing her long abused sight at the fountain 
itself of heavenly radiance, while the whole noise of timorous and lloikiii'/ 
birds with those also that love the twilight, flutter about, amazed at what she 
means, and in their envious gabble would prognosticate a year of sects and 
schisms. 

What should ye do then ? Should ye suppress all this flowery crop of 
knowledge and new light sprung up and yet springing daily in this citv ? 
Should ye set an oligarchy of twenty engrossers over it, to brinir a famine 
upon our minds again, when wc shall know nothing but what is measured to 
us by their bushel V Believe it, lords and commons ! they who counsel ye to 
such a suppressing, do as good as bid ye suppress yourselves; and I will" soon 
show how. It' it be desired to know the inunediate cause of all this free writino- 
and free speaking, there cannot be assigned a truer than your own mild, and 
free, and humane government ; it is the liberty, lords and commons I wjiich 
your own valorous and happy counsels have purchased us ; libei-tv which is 
the nurse of all great wits; this is that which hath rarefied and enlio-htened 
our spirits like the influence of heaven; this is that which hath enfranchised 
enlarged, and lifted up our apprehensions degrees above themselves. Ye 
cannot make us now less capable, less knowing, less eagerly pui-suiiif of the 
truth, unless he first make yourselves that made us so, less the lovers, less the 
founders of our true liberty. We can grow ignorant again, brutish, formal 
and slavish, as ye found us; but you then must first become that vvhich ye 
cannot be, oppressive, arbitrary, and tyrannous, as they were from whom ye 
have freed us. That our hearts are now more capacious, our thouo-hts more 
erected to the search and expectation of greatest and exactest thinog, is the 
issue of your own virtue propagated in us ; ye cannot suppress that, utiless ve 
reinforce an abri/gated and merciless law, that lathers may despatch at will 



244 

their own elnldrcn. And who shall then stick closest to ye and excite otliers ? 
Not he who takes up arras for co.it and eomhu't, and his four nobles of U.ine- 
gilt; although I dispraise not the defence of just immunities, yet love my 
peace bettei-, if th it were all. (Jive me the liberty to know, to utter, and to 
argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties." — ps. G3-Gi. 
* * * * ■>::■ * * * 

" And now the time in special is, by privilege to write and speak what may 
help to tlie turther discussing of matters in agitation. The temple of Janus, 
with his two controversal faces, might now not unsigniticantly be set open. 
And though all the winds of doctrine were let loose to play upon the earth, 
so Truth be in the field, we do injuriously by licensing and |)rohibiting to 
misdoubt her' strength. Let her and falsehood grajjple. Who ever knew 
Truth put to the worse, in a t'vi^e and open encounter V Her confuting is the 
best and surest oppressing, lie who hears what praying there is tor liglit and 
clear knowledge to be sent down among us, would think of other mailers to 
be constituted beyond the discipline of Geneva, framed and fabricated already 
to our hands. Yet when the new light which we beg for, shines in upon us, 
there be who envy and oppose, if it come not first in at their easements. 
What a collision is this, when as we are exhorted by the wi^e man to use ddi- 
gence, ' to seek fijr wisdom as for hidden treasures ' early and late, that another 
order shall enjoin us, to know nothing but by statute ? When a man hath 
been laboring the hardest labor in the deep mines of knowledge, hath fur- 
nished out his findings in all their equifjage, drawn forth his reasons as it were 
a battle ranged, scattered and defeated all objections in his way, calls out his 
adversary into the plain, otiers him the advantage of wind and sun, if he 
please, only that he may try the matter by dint of arguuient, for his oppo- 
nents then to sculk, to lay ambushments, to keep a narrow bridge of licensmg 
where the challenger should pass, though it be valor enough in toldiership, is 
but weakness and cowardice in the wars of Truth. J "or who knows not that 
Truth is strong, next to the Almighty. She needs no policies, nor stratagems, 
nor licensings to make iier victorious. Those are the shifts and the defences 
that Error uses against her power. Give her but room, and do not bind .ler 
when she sleeps, for then she speaks not true, as the old Proteus did, who 
s])ake oracles only when he was caught and bound, but then rather she turns 
herself into all shapes, except her own, and ])erhaps tunes her voice according 
to the time, as Micaiah did before Ahab, until she be abjured into her own 
likeness. Yet is it not impossible that she may have more shapes than one V 
What else is all that rank of things indifferent, wherein Truth may be on this 
side, or on the other, without being uidike herself V What but a vain shadow 
else is the abolition of 'those ordinances, that hand-writing nailed to the 
cross?' What great purchase is this <;hristian liberty which Paul so often 
boasts of? His doctrine is, that he who eats or eats not, regards a ilay or re- 
gards it not, may do either to the Lord. How many other things might be 
tolerated in peace, and left to conscience, had we but chiirity, and were it not 
the chief sti'oug hold of our hypocrisy to be ever judging another! 

I fear yet this iron yol^e ot outward conformity hath left a slavish print 
upon our necks ; the ghost of a linen decency yet haunts us. We stumble, 
and are impatient at the least dividing of one visible congregation from 
another, though it be not in fundamentals ; and through our forwardness to 
suppress, and our backwarduess to recover any enthralled piece of truth out 
of the gripe of custom, we care not to keep truth se[)arated from tiuth, whirh 
is the fiercest rent and disunion of all. We do not see th.it while we still affect 
by all means a rigid external tbrniality, we may as soon fall again into a gross 
conforming stupidity, a stark and dead congealment of ' wood and hay and 
stubble ' forced and frozen together, which is more to the sudden degene- 
rating of a church than many subdichomies of petty schisms. jN'ot that I can 



245 

think well of every light separation ; or that all in a church is to be expected 
' gold and silver and precious stones ; ' it is not possible for man to sever tlic 
wheat from the tares, the good fish from the other fry ; that must be the angel's 
ministry at the end of mortal things. 

Yet if all cannot be of one mind, as who looks they should be ? this doubt- 
less is more wholesome, more prudent, and more christian, that many be 
tolerated, rather than all compelled. I n;ean not tolerated popery, and open 
supei'stition, which, as it extirpates all religious and civil supremacies, so itself 
should be extirpate, provided first that all charitable and compassionate means 
be used to win and i-egain the weak and the misled. That also which is im- 
pious or evil absolutely, either against faith or manners, no law can possibly 
permit, that intends not to unlaw itself; but those neighboring dillerences, or 
rather indifferences, are what I speak oi', whether in some jjoint of doctrine 
or of discipline, which, though they may be many, yet need not interrupt the 
unity of spirit, if we could but find among us the bond of peace. In the mean 
while, if any one would write, and bring his helpful hand to the slow moving 
reformation which we labor under, if Truth have spoken to him before others. 
or but seemed at least to speak, who hath so bejesuited us that we should 
trouble that man with asking license to do so worthy a deed, and not consider 
this, that if it come to pi-ohibiting. there is not aught more likely to be pro- 
hibited than truth itself-; whose first appearance to our eyes, bleared and 
dimmed with prejudice and custom, is more unsightly and uuplausible than 
many errors, even as the person is of many a great man, slight and contempti- 
ble to see to ? 

And what do they tell us vainly of new opinions, when in this very opinion 
of theirs, that none must be heard but whom they like, is the worst and newest 
opinion of all others, and is the chief cause why sects and schisms do so much 
abound, and true knowledge is kept at a distance from us ; besides yet a 
greater danger which is in it. For when God shakes a kingdom, with strong 
and healthful commotions, to a general reforming, it is not untrue that many 
sectaries and false teachers are then busiest in seducing. But yet more true 
it is, that God then raises to his own work men of rare abilities and more than 
common industry, not onl}' to look back and revise what hath been tavight 
heretofore, but to gain further and to go on for some new enlightened steps 
in the discovery of truth. For such is the order of God's enlightening his 
church, to dispense and deal out by degrees His beam, so as our earthly eyes 
may best sustain it. Neither is God appointed and confined, where and out 
of what place these his chosen shall be first heai'd to speak ; for he sees not 
as man sees, chooses not as man chooses, lest we should devote ourselves again 
to set places, and assemblies, and outvv'ard callings of men, planting our faith 
one while in the old Convocation house, and another while in the chapel at 
Westminster, when all the faith and religion that shall be there canonized, is 
not snfHcient without plain convincement, and the charity of patient instruc- 
tion, to supple the least bruise of conscience, to edify the meanest Uliristian, 
who desires to walk in the spirit, and not in the letter of human trust, for all 
the number of voices that can be there made ; no, though Harry the Seventh 
himself there, Avith all his liege tombs about him, should lend them voices 
from the dead, to swell their number. And if the men be erroneous who 
appear to be the leading schismatics, what withholds us but our sloth, our 
self will, and distrust in the right cause, that we do not give them gentle meet- 
ings and gentle dismissions, that we debate not and examine the matter thor- 
oughly with liberal and freipient audience, if not for their sakes, yet for our 
own y seeing no man who hath tasted learning, but will confess the many ways 
of profiting by those, who, not contented with stale receipts, are able to 
manage and set forth new positions to the world. And were thej' but as the 
32 



246 

dust and cinders of our feet, so long [as in that notion they may yet serve to 
polish and brighten the armory of truth, even for that respect they were not 
utterly to be cast away. But if they be of those whom God hath fitted for 
the special use of these times with eminent and ample gifts, and those per- 
haps neither among the priests nor among the Pharisees, and we in the haste 
of a precipitant zeal shall make no distinction, but resolve to stop their mouths, 
because we fear they come with new and dangerous opinions, as we commonly 
forejudge them, ere we understand them, no less than woe to us, while, think- 
ing^thus to defend the gospel, we are found the persecutors ! " — ps. 67-70. 



Extracts from Iftlton's treatise on Ecclesiatical power in civil causes^ 

" How many persecutions, then, imprisonments, banishments, penalties, and 
stripes ; how much bloodshed have the forcers of conscience to answer for, 
protestants rather than papists ! For the papist, judging by his principles, 
punishes them Avho believe not as the church believes, though against the 
scripture ; but the protestant, teaching every one to believe the scripture, 
though against the church, counts heretical, and persecutes against his own 
principles, them who in any particular so believe as he in general teaches 
them ; them who most honor and believe divine scripture, but not against it 
any human interpretation though universal ; them who interpret scripture 
only to themselves, which by his own doctrine to their edification, than he 
himself uses it to their punishing ; and so whom his doctrine acknowledges 
a true believer, his disciples persecutes as a heretic. The papist exacts our 
belief as to the church due above scripture, and by the church, which is the 
whole people of God, imderstands the pope, the general councils, prelatical 
only, and the surnamed fathers. But the forcing protestant, though he deny 
such belief to any church whatsoever, yet takes it to himself and his teachers, 
of far less authority than to be called the church, and above scripture be- 
lieved ; which renders his practice both contrary to his belief, and far worse 
than tliat belief which he oondeums in the papist. By all which, well con- 
sidered, the more he professes to be a true protestant, the more he has to 
answer for his persecuting than a papist. No protestant therefore, of what 
sect soever, following scripture only, which is the common sect wherein they 
all agree, and the granted rule of every man's conscience to himself, ought, 
by the common doctrine of protestants, to be forced or molested for religion." 
ps. 254, 255. 

******** 

" I answer, that seducement is to be hindered by fit and proper means or- 
dained in church discipline, by instant and powerful demonstration to the 
contrary, by opposing Truth to Error, no une([ual match ; Truth the strong, 
to Error the weak, though sly and shifting. Force is no honest confutation, 
but aneffectual, and for the most part unsuccessful, ofttimes fatal to them 
who use it ; sound doctrine diligently and duly taught, is of herself both 
sufficient, and of herself, if some secret judgment of God hinder not, always 
prevalent against seducers." — p. 262. 

" As for scandals, if any man be offended at the conscientious liberty of 
another, it is a taken scandal, not a given. To heal one conscience, we must 
not wound another ; and men must be exhorted to beware of scandals in 
christian liberty, not forced by the magistrate ; lest while he goes about to take 
away the scandal, which is uncertain whether given or taken, he take away 
our liberty, which is the certain and the sacred gift of God, neither to be 
touched by Him, nor to be parted with l>v us. * * As for that fear, lest 



247 

profane and licentious men should be encouraged to omit the performance of 
religious and holy duties, how can that care belong to the civil magistrate, es'* 
pecially to his force ? For if profane and licentious persons must not neglect 
the performance of reUgious and holy duties, it implies that such duties they 
can perform, which no protestant will affirm. They who mean the outward 
performance, may so explain it, and it will then appear yet more plainly, that 
such performance of religious and holy duties, especially by profane and li- 
centious persons, is a dishonoring rather than a worshipping of God ; and not 
only by Him not required, but detested ; Prov. xxi. 27, ' The sacrifice of the 
wicked is an abomination ; how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked 
mind ? '"—p. 263 



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